Clarity
by SunshineNGunpowder21
Summary: Deputy Avery Mason thought she had left the war when she went back to civilian life. Never did she expect to enter a new battle on the homefront of Montana. When things are never what they seem, who can one trust when they are alone? Sometimes a broken mind is what you need to find the truth. Eventual JacobxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Rated M for violence, language and adult situations.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine except for my OC.**

The evening sun peered through the hallway windows as it began to set over the mountains. The Deputy paused to glance out and admire the beauty of the sunset as a small smile graced her lips. The purple and orange stretched across the big sky like a canvas painting, a site that would never grow old. Sighing, she turned from the window and continued on her way. Avery Mason rounded the corner of the office hallway with three folders in her arms. She was exhausted after the long travel of dropping off inmates to the new prison across the state. Never did she imagine that she would be a glorified delivery driver when she signed on but it was the closest thing to what she knew. As beautiful as the state of Montana was, it still felt like an eternity to drive across and she only hoped that it would become something that she would get used to. Thinking about her future caused her to smile and shake her head. She was excited to start this new chapter in her life but tried not to ponder too hard on it _._ She really hoped to get passed the delivering portion of the job and get back to working cases.

 _Just live it day-by-day. It will come…_ she reminded herself. Regardless of what her future years held, she was determined to deliver the files of the inmates, get home, and relax. _A nice, hot bath sounds like heaven right now._

Coming up to the Sheriff's door, she reached for the handle before thinking better of it and decided to knock. There was a slight pause before she heard the gruff voice of the sheriff on the other side. Avery smirked at the older man's response as she made her way into the office.

"Hey, sir, sorry to interu….," Avery paused as the door swung shut behind her. A look of confusion crossed her face as her green eyes darted between Sheriff Whitehorse and Deputy Hudson. "Er…what's going?"

Sheriff Whitehorse paused as he looked her over briefly before continuing to strap his holster to his belt.

Sensing the question hanging in the air, Hudson eagerly took the opportunity to explain to the junior deputy. "We are going into Hope County. An arrest warrant came and we are finally taking that son-of-a-bitch down."

Avery furrowed her brows at the news while she processed the information. _Hope County? But that would mean… No._

"Hope County is out of our jurisdiction. Why didn't their Sheriff's office get the warrant?"

Hudson scoffed. "What Sheriff's office? They either got overran or fled which only means one thing: We are up."

Avery opened her mouth to reply but Whitehorse raised his hand to interject. "It's a Federal Warrant. We are the closest team to take action on the situation."

"I have only been here a few months but even _I_ know this isn't to be taken lightly. Are we even equipped to handle this if their officers couldn't?" She wasn't trying to insult their capabilities but Hudson was an eager deputy. Though she would argue with Avery on the subject, Hudson had less real-world experience then she did. However, in Hudson's defense, she did outrank Avery. Whitehorse, on the other hand, had plenty of experience but he was getting slower in his years. Avery wasn't sure of the experience the other officers had in their small unit but she couldn't imagine their skills impressing her.

"We can handle this," Whitehorse nodded for emphasis. "It all comes down to _how_ we handle it."

Though she would follow the man into Hell if he asked, she couldn't help but protest. "But how are we—"

"How did the transportation go?" Whitehorse interrupted with a tired smile.

Avery was aware of the change of subject but she answered the older man. After all, it was why she was there in the first place.

"It went," she shrugged before holding up the files. "They are officially in the State Prison and won't be leaving anytime soon."

Whitehorse nodded. "Good. Glad to hear there weren't any issues. You can set the files on my desk."

The door behind Avery opened suddenly and a middle aged man stormed through. "You about ready?"

"Finishing up," Hudson replied as she grabbed her State issued 12 gauge from the rack. Avery watched as the Sheriff stepped forward to confront the man; no trace of his encouraging smile left on his face.

"Now, Marshal, I'm telling you, this plan is a bad idea—," Whitehorse started.

"No it's what needs to be done. Even you have to agree that having this festering cult taking over your state and killing people has to stop no matter how we do it. I know you have a small unit but no worries." The dark skinned man patted the Sheriff's shoulder with a cocky grin. "This is why _I_ was sent here to assist in his arrest—Who the _hell_ are you?"

Avery wasn't sure how to feel at the moment as the Marshal looked at her like she was carrying the plague. He worked for the government that was for sure. If his vest didn't have the giant yellow letters of _U.S. MARSHAL_ , then his demeanor would have given it away.

He was clean cut and darker skinned. The black leather shoes and slacks may have matched his black t-shirt and vest but stood out from the usual attire of the locals. It was his attitude that really ratted him out. Not very many people would take charge and talk down to officers in their own building.

"This is Deputy Mason. She transferred here 4 months ago," Whitehorse introduced.

The stranger looked her up and down for a moment. "Well what are you waiting for? Suit up."

"Excuse me? I didn't realize I worked for you." She crossed her arms over her chest for emphasis, still holding the files.

"Avery was just returning from a 5 day transfer of some inmates. She can stay here and watch the office while we go to Hope County," the sheriff stated.

Her eyes darted to her boss in surprise. _Watch the office? Seriously?_ What her rotten luck.

The marshal didn't seem to like the older man's idea as he shook his head while turning to face the others. "If Joseph Seed and his cult is as bad as you make it sound, then wouldn't you want all the help we can get?"

Whitehorse scowled. He had a point but he really wasn't wanting to put all his team in harm's way. It was bad enough that both Hudson and Pratt were going.

After not getting a reply, the marshal raised a brow in a challenge and glanced between the sheriff and deputy. "Unless you feel like Deputy Mason is too inexperienced to handle an arrest."

Whitehorse knew there was no arguing with the man. This whole operation was a bad idea but he knew that he wanted his best people by his side if shit went down. "Mason served in the military prior. She is plenty experienced to handle this."

The marshal looked back to the brunette who still had her arms crossed but an unreadable expression on her face. He flashed another grin.

"Glad to hear it… Suit up. You now work for Hope County." He tossed her a new green shirt with the badge sewn onto the sleeve. _Hope County Sheriff_

* * *

The helicopter shuddered as it came over the mountain tops causing Avery's hand to tightened around her seat cushion before relaxing. The denser air at their current altitude was causing more turbulence for the metal bird and for the deputy who hated flying, it didn't help her nerves. Flying wasn't anything new to her. Being in the military, she had become very used to similar flights taking her and her team into the middle of conflict. However, three helicopter crashes, two broken bones and some scratches weren't enough to build her confidence in the metal machines.

 _Not going to crash again… Just flying in Montana to arrest someone… easy. No war zone here._ She forced herself to exhale a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Sitting across from her was the US Marshal. She could feel his eyes on her and she resisted the urge to let it affect her. She was somewhere between wanting to send him a glare and wanting to check her gun. It was his fault, after all, for wanting to rush into this that she couldn't get a bath and some sleep. Then again this is what she was wanting; to be working on the line instead of delivering inmates to their new 'home'.

 _Be careful what I wish for, I guess._

Deciding confrontation was the last thing they needed, she chose to swallow her current resentment and check her gun.

Pulling out her Springfield XD, she ejected the magazine, checked her chamber, and began to empty the rounds out of the magazine. Rolling the bullets in her hand, she counted them twice before placing them back in the mag one by one, sticking it back into her pistol and loading a round into the chamber. The Marshal watched her go through the motions two more times, approving how it all seemed like second nature to the girl, before he spoke up.

"You seem nervous."

She brought her attention to the man across from her before sitting back and holstering her gun. Avery had to bite back a rude comment. Though the Marshal was only striking a conversation, she still had a hard time respecting any Federal Agents. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not checking my gun because I'm nervous. It's just a habit for me when I'm expecting things to not go smoothly."

 _You know… fidgeting_. She kept the admission to herself, knowing it was a bad habit to fidget and probably didn't do her skills any credit. She probably looked like the label she wore: a rookie. Little did they know she just had some bad habits. A gun fight was something she was comfortable with; something that was familiar. It was leading up to it that she hated.

The damn suspense.

Though it could have been seen as a rude comment, he didn't seem to mind. "What do you know of the cult and Joseph Seed?"

The brunette gave a casual shrug, welcoming a change of topic. If he was going to give insight on what they were up against, then she would gladly play nice. "I know that he is the leader of this doomsday cult. That people have gone missing and that he is believed to have killed them. I know some people have talked about it being brainwashing but I have a hard time believing that is the cause of it."

"Hmm." He nodded as he mulled over her words. He studied her for a moment longer and she resisted shifting uncomfortably. He was studying her, she could see it, clear as day. "What kind of work did you do in the military?"

Furrowing her brows, she looked to the sheriff who watched their interaction with interest. She wasn't sure how she felt about Burke's prying questions. "Military Police."

"Police work? Got out of the military to come back into law enforcement? How long did you serve?" His voice was laced with genuine curiosity.

She was growing more uncomfortable but answered. "8 ½ years."

He raised his brows in slight surprise. "That long? You were almost halfway to retiring… why bother to get out?"

"Marshal," Whitehorse interrupted. He tossed a quick glance to Avery whose expression was unreadable. "We will be coming up to the region soon. I would like to stay focused on the task."

Burk looked to his left at the older man. "Fair enough. Here rookie."

He pulled out a cell phone and brought up a video before handing it to her. Avery took it into her gloved hands and played the video. It was hard to hear the sound over the blades of the helicopter, forcing her to pull it closer to her face.

The scene of a beautiful Montana meadow lit up the darkness as a voice explained the scene. A blonde woman came onto the screen explaining how it was home to her. A preacher sitting in the pews of a church had a kind smile on his face as he explained his love for the area. As another person began to narrate their story, the scenery changed to that of a video of someone with a cell phone recording what looked to be a church service. However instead of young children handing out pamphlets by the door, it was heavily armed men herding people inside like lambs.

"…Goddamn Cult…"

"…then the radio stations. Not long after, they even had the fucking cops."

"Ain't no one coming to help us—Government can't do shit!" The man leaned forward, clearly beginning to get worked up and desperation coming through. "We're on our own."

Avery could feel herself tense as she watched the video. These people were helpless. She hadn't seen any footage or heard anything besides rumors. But this was something else entirely… This was bigger than she realized. She was under the impression it was a small group causing trouble and harassing people. She didn't know it was this bad.

The video clip changed again and she saw the leader of the cult standing on his plinth, preaching to his followers. "…we will save those lost souls whether they want to be saved or not… Some will wish to destroy us…"

The preacher became quieter and Avery struggled to hear his last sentence. But when she did, she could imagine being in that church as his gaze slowly turned to the camera as if looking right at her. "Some will betray us."

The man holding the cellphone suddenly began to struggle, dropping the camera in the process as the scene turned sideways.

"They call him… the _Father_ ," the narrating continued.

Avery watched as the man was kneeling before the leader. Watched as he held the man's face and pierced his thumbs into the man's eyes causing a shrill scream to escape his throat and blood to gush out of his pores before silence. Joseph raised his hands out to the side, showing his deed proudly.

Static interrupted the rest before she completely lost service to the video. The reports she had heard of Joseph Seed harming people were only suspicion… In her hands now, she held proof of his murder. Judging by the lack of reaction of his followers, it was far from the first public killing. How could this have gotten so out of control?

She suddenly felt a little out of her depth. She had been in the heat of battles and in front of enemy fire. But that was always in the far away sands on the other side of the world. True, this cult was a now considered a militia… but they were still her fellow Americans… This wasn't going to be easy.

"Hey Rookie… Rookie." The voice came through her headphones but it was the tap on her knee that pulled her from her thoughts. Looking up, she saw Whitehorse give her a concerned look. "You're wasting your time. There won't be any signal out here."

Green eyes looked to the marshal across from her. He seemed to have sobered a bit as she handed him his cellphone back. He took it without a word and continued to stare at the warrant in his hands. She couldn't help but wonder if he was replaying the video in his own mind as he stared blankly at the paper.

Officer Pratt, who was the lead pilot of the helicopter, broke the silence over the headphones. "We are crossing over the Henbane now."

Hudson sat next to him as his co-pilot and her own voice didn't help the tension in the helicopter. "Oh fuck… there he is…"

"Crazy motherfucker," Pratt added.

Avery looked out the window to see what they were referring to and there stood a giant statue atop the mountain. The ghost like stone stood out hauntingly against the dark skies as the helicopter circled around the front of the shrine. Green eyes widened in shock. Judging by the reactions of the others, she guessed this was a new development to the area. It seemed to be that the cult was festering like an infection to the land.

Looking to the four others in front of her, she only hoped that they were not biting off more then they could handle.

"We are in Peggie country now," Hudson confirmed.

Marshal Burke became more alert as he straightened in his seat. "How much longer?"

Sheriff Whitehorse didn't miss a beat on answering, "Long enough for you to change your mind…So we can turn this bird around."

Part of Avery agreed with her boss. This seemed like it was too much for their little rag-tag unit to handle. The other part knew that if they delayed this any longer, the cult would fester and grow. More innocent people would be injured. It looked like either way it was a lose-lose.

The marshal didn't seem to like that suggestion from the older man. "You want me to ignore a federal warrant?" He held the paper up for emphasis.

"No, sir." The sheriff shifted in his seat to face the marshal better. "I want you to understand the severity of the situation. Joseph Seed… He's not a man to be fucked with. We had our run-ins with him before and things haven't always gone our way."

He exchanged a sad look with Deputy Hudson and Avery couldn't help the curiosity that rose. There was a backstory here that she wasn't aware of. A voice in her head wondered if her job opening was coincidence or if it was her imagination talking.

"Sometimes, Marshal… Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone." There was a sad tone to his voice. Almost a plead.

Burke sighed. "We have laws for a reason, Sheriff. And Joseph Seed is going to learn that."

 _Fuck…_ Avery looked back and forth between the two. She knew both were right but she felt like she was missing a lot of information. Sighing, she adjusted her ponytail and rolled up her sleeves to her button-up shirt.

A pregnant pause filled the area between the three before Whitehorse sighed. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the older man. He looked exhausted.

"Pratt. Open a call to dispatch."

"10-4." Pratt flipped a switch as Whitehorse and Burke adjusted the speaker arm of their headset.

"Whitehorse to Dispatch, over."

A familiar female voice replied back to their boss.

"It looks like we are approaching a compound, Nancy, over."

"Roger, Sheriff… You are still set to go through with this, over?" Her concern was evident in her voice.

"We are," he sighed once again. "Still trying to talk some sense into our friend, the Marshal, over." There was a slight smirk that both men shared despite their different views on the situation.

Nancy gave a forced chuckle. "Oh right. Lucky I'm not there. If you get into any trouble... y-you just let me know, over."

"10-4, over and out."

Avery watched as Pratt ended the transmission.

"Maybe we should have brought Nancy with us instead of the probe," Pratt teased as he pointed a thumb at her. "The peggies wouldn't fuck with her."

She narrowed her eyes at the man. "Shut up, Pratt. I can fly the helicopter in your place, if you catch my drift."

The marshal didn't seem to pay their teasing any mind. "Why do you call them peggies?"

Sheriff Whitehorse took this time to explain. "Project of Eden's Gate. P.E.G. Peggies. It's what the locals call them. Yeah, they started off harmless enough a few years back but now they are armed to the teeth." He looked to the Marshal and met his eyes. "They are looking for a fight."

There was a heavy pause and the darker man took the hint and glared. "Are you scared, Sheriff?"

The air became tense at the implication. Before either could say another word, Pratt interrupted.

"We're here… Compound is just below."

Avery turned to look out the window, forgetting the confrontation brewing just feet in front of her. Below the helicopter, she gazed out to see a steeple with smoke spewing into the air around them. Fires scattered all around the buildings as a mass of people was dispersed about in an ominous setting. Avery felt her body tense once again, her fingers itching to grab her gun.

"Oh my, Jesus." There was no teasing left in Pratt's voice.

"This is… a bad idea," Hudson drawled out. Avery had to agree with her though she couldn't turn her eyes away from below.

This setting was eerily similar to the deputy.

"Last chance, Marshal," Whitehorse warned. There was an underlying plead to his voice.

A heavy sigh and pause was enough to pull Avery's green eyes to the dark-skinned man. She waited for the verdict, torn by what she thought was the right choice. With all eyes on the federal agent, she did not envy the marshal's position.

Watching his face as he debated with himself, she saw the sudden resolve settle onto his features. It seemed like a rock suddenly hit the bottom of her stomach at the realization of the decision before he event ushered the words.

"We're going in."

Whitehorse rolled his eyes in frustration. "Set her down…"

No change came to their altitude. The sheriff looked over his shoulder to the pilots. "Pratt," he warned.

"Ugh… Roger that." He sounded defeated.

Avery swallowed and felt for her gun, knowing it hadn't moved from her holster. Feeling the cool steel and grip of her pistol settled her racing thoughts. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to center herself. This situation was different then her usual routine when she served.

The brunette was used to having a full brief of the mission and knowing the layout of the land prior to flying to the region. With the knowledge of all the risks, it was easier for her to get her mind on the task at hand.

This…This was just the opposite. The closer they got, the more information she received and the more apparent it became that she wasn't prepared for it.

Opening her eyes, she thought back to her friend's words when she had her first gunfight.

" _Breathe and keep your head on a swivel. Always watch your lane and trust in your team. If you worry about us doing our job—"_

" _I won't be doing mine," she said with a smirk. Michael smiled back as he adjusted his M4 and patted her on the shoulder._

" _You have nothing to worry about."_

It was one of her fondest memories. It was something she often reflected on in times like these.

Looking out of the window, she watched the cult begin to emerge from the shadows of the buildings as the helicopter came to settle on the ground.

Seeing them shift their weapons, Avery felt like she should speak with the team once more; formulate some sort of grand plan that would allow them to overcome the situation, or at least give them the upper hand in the fight. But there was no situation to plan around. It was the law that they were working for. In the end, if that wasn't enough, then it would be a fight for survival. Kill as many of them as you can. Pray to God there's a tomorrow in store for you.

She could feel the adrenaline dump and just like that, the tiredness of her travels from the week were non-existent.

"Dispatch." Whitehorse's voice made her look back to him. "You still there?"

"Go ahead, sheriff," Nancy's voice replied.

"If you don't hear from us in 15 minutes, call everyone-call the goddamn National Guard if you have to, over!"

"Be safe, sheriff… I'll be praying for you."

 _I guess this is happening,_ she thought to herself as she unbuckled her seatbelt and took her headphones off. Suddenly the blades of the helicopter intensified and were no longer muted.

"Now listen up," her boss started. Avery tried to strain her ears as they adjusted to the louder sound. "Three rules: Stick close. Keep your guns _in_ your holsters and let me do the talking. You got it?" The last part was directed to the Marshal.

Burke nodded his understanding. "Got it."

Sheriff looked to her next. "Rookie?"

It was Avery's turn to nod in understanding.

"Alright everyone. Stay sharp. Let's go!"

And just like that, every one was getting out of the helicopter and out into the lions' den. Deputy Pratt stayed behind while the rest started to the church. Avery looked around at the cult members and schooled her features. _Time for work._

"Keep calm. These people can spook easily," Whitehorse said under his breath for his team to hear.

"Rook, stay close," Hudson advised. Avery was only half listening. In the corner of her eyes, she watched the peggies; their murmurs were heard in snippets as she walked by. One man with a burly beard and a baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire swung threateningly in the air.

"What are they doing here?" he asked his fellow members.

More men stepped towards their path, some charging their weapons.

Sheriff Whitehorse raised his voice but continued to walk to the church. "Stay calm everyone," he ordered to the members. "Just go about your business. This doesn't concern you."

The closer their group got to the church, the louder the singing became. In a different setting, it would be considered beautiful. But here, it was haunting.

Hudson paused in her steps, allowing Avery to catch up. "Sheriff, I don't like this. It's all wrong."

"Everything is fine, Hudson. Everything is just fine," he said softly, trying to build her courage.

He glanced back at Avery and he was pleased to see she was calm and quiet. Between his team members, he believed she had the most experience in high risk tasks like these. Reading her file when she was hired on he had been impressed. Watching her now, seemingly unphased by the group of men closing in, he was pleased to see he was right. Hudson was new. But she brought her own skills to the table. However, it was nice to be able to focus more on the task then on calming two team members.

"Don't let them sense your nervousness. They will only use it against you. I got your back," Avery advised to Hudson who nodded and followed the sheriff.

"Jesus, you guys are wearing badges, aren't you?" Marshal was beginning to walk ahead of the group at this point and was eager to get to the church.

Avery could tell that he was beginning to disregard the Sheriff's orders as he got closer to his target.

"Yeah, but they don't respect the badges here," Hudson argued.

A cult member next to Avery smirked at her answer.

"She's right, little mouse," he teased as he stepped closer to the brunette in an attempt to intimidate her. Avery's cold stare told him it wasn't working but he only tossed her a toothy grin as he positioned his rifle to his shoulder more.

Up ahead, Avery could hear the Marshal's smart reply to Hudson's comment. "They will respect a 9mm."

"Not every problem can be solved with a bullet." Whitehorse was wise, she had to give him that. But occasionally she wondered if some people could even be reasoned with.

The sounds of dogs barking aggressively drew her attention and her fingers twitched at her side. Looking to her right, she could see a caged area where a few men held the leashes of aggressive dogs, pulling wildly and baring their teeth. Wild slobber flew through the air as they growled and barked their threats at the newcomers. She wished so much to have her K9 by her side at the moment. Without him, she felt vulnerable to the threats around her.

"Rook… come on," Hudson called. Shaking her thoughts away, Avery followed her team.

 _What is going on with me? Focus Avery! It's no time to think about the past._

As she reached the church doors, the federal agent eagerly reached for the handle. Whitehorse stepped in quick to keep the door from opening any further but the slight panic in his voice was fighting to stay calm. "Whoa Marshal… We do this, we do this my way. Quietly—calmly, you got it?"

Burke looked frustrated for having to wait any longer. He threw his hands up but reluctantly agreed. "Fine."

Sheriff turned to the girls next. "Hudson, hold the door and watch our backs…" He looked around at the crowd of people outside as if contemplating his plan. "Don't let any of these people get in. Rookie… On me."

Avery gave a curt nod as Hudson turned to face the members outside. She looked like she was about to say something when the sheriff began talking again.

"And you," he said to the marshal. "Try not to do anything stupid." It was his attempt to lighten the mood but it fell short.

The marshal smirked arrogantly and put a hand on the older man's shoulder. "Relax. You're about to get your name in the paper."

They exchanged looks and a pause filled the air. Slowly the sheriff turned away and began to open the door to the church.

"You'll be fine," Hudson said to the rookie, but Avery could tell it was forced and she really didn't know if that was true. She still appreciated the attempt at encouragement regardless.

As the doors swung open, the singing seemed to have faded away. The smoky building was lit with candle light which made it more difficult to see the other side of the room. Men stood with weapons at the back of the pews and as they trio stepped in, the squeaking boards alerted them to the newcomers.

"Something is coming… creeping towards the edge… And there will be a reckoning." The voice was coming from deep within the room and Avery could only guess it was the target they were after. His voice was calm and smooth like that of velvet.

She tried to block it out as they walked further into the lair. More and more people began to stand as they entered; turning to toss glares at the three. Some reaching for knives and shovels at the sight of them.

"They will try to take from us-take our guns…Take our freedom. Take our faith."

The marshal was growing impatient and Avery could see the sheriff trying to keep him calm. She was beginning to worry about Burke doing something rash and that was not what she needed right now. As the third person, she was supposed to look out for their backs. Not worry about their next move.

 _Trust your team,_ she reminded herself.

As they reached the center of the room, people began to fill in the aisle behind them, blocking off their exit. She could feel herself tense at the thought of being cornered but hid it well.

"We will. Not. Let. Them," the preacher demanded as his calm tone became more dominant.

Marshal was getting irritated. "Sheriff, I—"

"Just hold on, Marshal," Whitehorse ordered.

Their target continued to speak over them. "We will not let their _greed_ , or their _immorality_ or their _depravity_ hurt us anymore!"

Avery could feel her adrenaline begin to push itself into her system once again. Looking past the others, she saw the man they were after.

Joseph Seed.

He stood bare chested with dark jeans and boots atop of the stage. A holster hung from his belt as he held something she couldn't make out in his left hand. Across his body, she could see what looked like carvings of words and tattoos that he displayed proudly to his followers. With his hair tied back into a bun and yellow aviators setting naturally on the bridge of his nose, he glared at the marshal. The closer they stepped to him, the more he glared and shifted his weight threateningly.

He resembled a cougar, deciding whether to play with its prey or to simply kill it for sport. "There will be no more suffering!"

Avery watched as her two team members argued before Marshal tore away and stormed the last few feet to meet the Father. Tearing out his warrant, he pushed it out into the air.

"Joseph Seed! I have a warrant issued for your arrest. On the suspicion of kidnaping with the intent to harm. Now I want you to step forward and keep your hands where I can see them."

The deputy resisted the urged to put her hand on her gun as one by one, people began to circle them and fill in the space between her group and their leader. Standing off to the left of the alter, Avery noticed a man watching the exchange intently. He had onyx hair and neatly trimmed beard, and like Joseph, he too wore aviators however they sat atop his head. What caught her eye was he wore a dark blue shirt and black coat that fell past his waist which stood out amongst the followers' attire. By the looks of it, he played an important role in the cult. After a moment, the stranger's eyes met her own and she resisted the urged to look away immediately as a sign of intimidation.

"There they are," Joseph continued. He held his hands out in front of him to display the three of them. "The locust in our garden… See they come for me. The come to take me away from you."

More followers stepped forward to block their path. A few even charged their weapons, a clear sign they were ready to fight at the word of their Father.

Avery narrowed her eyes.

"They have come to destroy all that we have built!" Joseph was riling his followers up as they were beginning to turn into a mob.

The marshal reached for his gun but was quick to pause as the Sheriff yelled at him to stand down.

Avery grabbed the marshal's elbow, causing him to jump. She gave a tight squeeze once he realized it was only her and she shook her head.

"Don't do it," she ordered and the Sheriff tried to get the mob to calm down and to stop shouting. "We can't be the first to react."

She was relieved to see him relax, if only enough to remove his hand from his gun. She didn't blame him. It was fight or flight instincts kicking in at this point. But she had seen firsthand how acting without thinking could turn a bad situation into hell.

"Put your guns down," Joseph ordered suddenly. Looking to the Father, she was surprised to see his followers not argue as he stepped from the alter and they made space for him to walk through. The man with the blue shirt and long coat began to reposition himself on the stage, never taking his eyes from the three of them. Watching fixedly, Avery let her hand fall from the marshal's arm as another man stepped onto the alter. This one was taller then the second but had red hair and beard while wearing what she immediately recognized as a military jacket. On the shoulder was the all too familiar 82nd Air Bourne patch.

Joseph gave a pointed look at the two men behind him as his voice became calmer. "I knew this moment would come. We've prepared for it." Turning back to his followers he gave the quiet orders. "Go. Go. God will not let them take me."

One by one, they funneled past the trio. Each person passing sent a venomous glare to her and the others while a few shoulder checked her on the way out. She tried to keep her temper in control as she tossed a glare at a few in return. She refused to push back however, knowing it would only cause problems.

They would have to suffer her sharp looks for now.

Realizing that Joseph was talking again, she turned back as the last of the members filed out the doors. His hands were raised to the ceiling and he quoted what sounded like a dream. She took note of the three others standing behind the Father on the alter and realized they were not his followers.

 _The role of Generals_ , her inside voice whispered. They were important to him somehow and were not fellow lackies. These three she had not been briefed on… But now she wished she had.

"…and I heard one of the four beasts say come and see!" Joseph continued.

Marshal was all out of patience. "Step! Down!"

"And I SAW!" Joseph set his cold eyes on the marshal and pointed at him threateningly. In a lighter situation, Avery would have made a joke about how much he must have pissed Joseph off. Since their arrival, all the marshal had received was glares from their target. She wondered briefly if the Father was doing that on purpose to rile the man up or perhaps there was a deep root of hatred for the agent.

The silence he caused Burke to adopt allowed Joseph to turn slowly to the sheriff and his tone relaxed to a harsh whisper.

"And behold it was Whitehorse... And Hell followed with him." The cold gaze turned to her suddenly as he addressed the deputy.

Avery could feel the temperature of the room drop as she suddenly held his attention. Unblinking, he watched her from his yellow lenses and lifted his hands to her. Green eyes darted to the three standing behind him to see all eyes on her. Like a pack of predators waiting for their prey to run and the chase to start.

But she was not prey. And she was not scared.

"Rookie," the Marshal barked. "Cuff this son-of-a-bitch!"

Joseph shook his head with a curl of his lips as if amused. "God will not let you take me."

Avery felt her fingers twitch again, ready to grab her cuffs. But she hesitated. Something didn't seem right about this.

 _Why was he complying?_ He was so determined that this wasn't going to work in the officers' favor. He had the manpower to kill them in seconds and continue with his sermon as if it had been only a mild interruption. So why humor them?

It felt like a trap and she wondered if the Sheriff was right. Maybe leaving well enough alone was the safe course of action.

Jade eyes looked back to the three standing behind their leader. A young woman, about her age, who had joined the men moments ago, had light brown, shoulder length locks and a floral white dress. She reminded Avery of a ballerina on music box. With her stance on her toes, barefoot and one leg in front of the other, she looked like she could start dancing now to a lovely melody. What was her role in this?

 _Siren…_ her mind warned.

Avery looked to the dark-haired man who watched her intently with his arms behind his back. A calculating smirk graced his lips as he observed her next move with what looked like hunger. She resisted the urged to flinch under his gaze and instead looked to the third man.

Now that she was closer, she could see his face more clearly. The soldier had clearly experienced war on a personal level as it was evident in the scars on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest and held his head back as he watched her with an arrogance that said she was wasting her time. A dark gleam sparked in his eyes as their gazes met.

"Put your gun down, take your friends… and walk away," Joseph said softly to her. She brought her attention back to the man before her.

"Cuff him, Rook!"

She wasn't sure who barked the order as she battled with herself.

Movement behind Joseph caught her attention as the two men took a step to the edge of the alter. The woman tilted her head with a dreamy smile and shifted her weight in a half circle, causing her dress to swish around her legs.

The deputy could feel the tension growing in the church as she tried to weigh the what-ifs in her head. Playing out the scenarios that would happen if she arrested him was no help, however. No matter how much she tried, everything was choppy and disorientated. She came into this blind with little information aside from here-say.

The soldier on her left took to the step below so he was only feet away from Joseph now. Was he planning on attacking if she arrested the Father?

Meeting his gaze, she saw a smile pull at his lips and he raised a brow to test her, clearly saying ' _what are you waiting for?'_

 _Fucking Army…_

Narrowing her eyes, she pulled the cuffs out to meet his challenge and slapped them onto Joseph's wrist. There was no way she was going to back down from someone who questioned her ability to do something. Sure, she was 5'3", however that did not mean she was easily spooked.

Avery looked back in hopes to see his defeated expression but was shocked to not find it.

Instead he looked… satisfied. Like this was exactly what he wanted.

And that terrified her.

Looking at the other two, she was at least pleased to see the girl glaring at her now with her hands clenched at her side. That was more of a reaction she had been expecting. When it came to looking at the dark-haired man, however, she could see something similar to the first man in his eyes. There was no anger or disappointment. Just excitement.

Were they hoping this act would justify attacking them now?

"Come on, Rook," Sheriff ordered as they turned away from the alter and started towards the doors.

Placing one hand on Joseph's shoulder, she began to follow the others. He allowed her to guide him and she was grateful that he wasn't awkwardly taller then herself. As they reached the doors, they could hear trucks pulling up outside. Sheriff and Marshal exchanged nervous glances before opening the doors to a distressed Deputy Hudson.

"We gotta get the fuck out of here!" she demanded as she held her gun close to her.

"Marshal," Whitehorse ordered. "You take point. Stay on the path, rookie."

Avery put her free hand on her gun as a mob of people began to gather. Following her team, she trudged forward, checking her blind spots constantly.

"They're taking the Father! They're taking the Father!"

"What are you doing!"

"Let him go!"

More and more shouts were tossed their way as they continued through the buildings. Avery spared a glance at Joseph to see him as calm as ever. Never did he say anything or resist. Just followed the steady pressure of her hand on his shoulder.

Looking to her said hand, she noticed the macabre carving of 'GLUTTONY' across his back. It caused more questions to come to mind but she pushed them back. If she lived through this, she could ask questions later. Focusing on the crowd around her, she could feel the hints of anxiety starting to creep under her skin as threats were spat at her.

It didn't ease up as she saw a woman come up to challenge the team before the Marshal pushed her back to the ground, yelling at her to stand down.

The mob reacted angrily as their yells intensified at the stunt. Avery watched as the team began to push on as they started to get further out of sight. Her breathing began to get faster but shallow as she tried to focus on the current task. The shouts from the cultist were becoming more muted as it was drowned out by her own heartbeat. She swallowed hard and tried to blink the smoke from her gaze until she realized that she had stopped moving. When had she stopped?

Jade eyes looked to her unit who were getting farther away. She had to keep moving.

But her anxiety was starting to weigh down on her more. The deputy looked behind her at the church to see the three strangers at the alter were now standing outside the doors, watching the exchange between the officers and the peggies.

"Rook! Hurry up!" A voice pierced through the chaos, just barely reaching her.

Avery faced back to the path only to see Joseph Seed observing her over his shoulder. The yellow gleam of his glasses danced from the reflection of a nearby fire but his piercing gaze was locked onto her. It was as if he could see right through her forced calm.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to bury her rising anxiety and pushed onward towards the helicopter. He didn't say anything as he allowed her to guide him around the corner of a building to join her team.

"I am a Federal Marshal!" Burke yelled when suddenly someone threw a rock at him, successfully hitting him in the temple. He stumbled but managed to keep his footing.

More members of the cult began to throw rocks at the officers when all Hell broke loose.

Guns were drawn, rocks were being pelted in their direction, more shouts and screams filled the air. As Avery and Joseph reached the helicopter, Burke fired a few rounds into the sky, adding fuel to the fire and the situation became chaotic.

Hudson helped Joseph into the helicopter as the Sheriff took the co-pilot's seat next to Pratt. "Get us out of here!"

Avery pulled herself into her seat as the bird began to lift. Marshal was right behind her when suddenly, the cultist were jumping at the helicopter. Pratt cursed as he tried to lift it into the air and rocks still pelted the metal sides. One Peggie tried to get into the door when Burke sent a hard elbow into his gut. At first Avery thought it worked but before the man could fall, he grabbed onto the Marshal's arm holding the gun. With all his weight, he pulled Burk's arm but failed to pull him out due to the seatbelt holding him securely in place. Avery reached out to help take pressure off of Burke's arm, afraid the man would dislocate it. As she tried to help, the gun went off, spraying blood into the air as the man fell lifelessly to the ground. Soon after, a woman tried to claw her way inside as she gripped Avery's leg.

"Get off!" Avery yelled as she pushed the woman back outside. More people were latched onto the bird as everyone inside shouted and the helicopter swayed back and forth.

Her panicking returned and her breathing became too much to control. She could see a person on the front windshield, banging the glass in a desperate attempt to get the pilots. The blood red warning lights of their bird flashed as the motor was being pushed to its limit. Burke fought another person who, in a savage attempt, had almost freed the Father and suddenly Avery wasn't in Montana anymore.

 _Sand, smoke, and the smell of gasoline fumes filled her senses as she tried to make sense of what was happening. There was screaming… Someone yelling her name. But it all seemed like a dream. Far away and muted._

 _Metallic liquid dripped in the corner of her mouth as more liquid trickled on her cheek. Slowly she opened her eyes to a blurry sight of twisted metal. Something fell on her face again and she tried to focus on her vision. Blinking away the pain that throbbed at her temple, she was able to make out a familiar face with brown eyes looking at her. In a split second, however, it was as if a bucket of ice water was thrown onto her. The teammate above her, hanging from his seat was dead._

 _She was back in the mangled, upside down Humvee again. Back in the fucking desert. And her name was being shouted. Forcing herself to move, she wiped her friend's blood from her face and looked to the hull of the metal vehicle._

" _Mason! Mason!"_

 _Michael yelled for her as he tried to hold onto the iron frame of the Humvee. Someone was dragging him away from her!_

 _She tried to crawl towards the opening, yelling for him to hold on when suddenly someone's feet came into view. A barrel of a rifle aimed at his shoulder before firing a round. He screamed in agony as he lost his grip and was dragged from her sight._

A jerk of the helicopter caused Avery to hit her head, ripping her from the past. The Marshal had his eyes closed as he gripped his seat and the sidewall of the bird. They spun wildly through the sky and all Avery could do was hold her breath. Through the chaos that seemed to last forever, Joseph continued to sing Amazing Grace until everything went black…


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for my OC.**

"Hey! This is Nancy! Is everything ok? Over."

The voice was an echo to the 28-year old's ears as sparks and a hanging, upside down Marshal filled her vision. She was disorientated from the crash and was seeing double as she tried to get a grasp of what happened.

The darkness of the metal container hindered her vision and became worse when the sparks lit up the area, momentarily blinding her. Blinking away the dots in her vision, she tried to get an idea of the status of the team.

To her right was Hudson who looked to be unconscious from the crash. There was a gash on her forehead but it didn't look like it was too bad. Burke, who hung in front of her, wasn't in any better state. She could only imagine by the lack of movement in the front of the container that the Sheriff and Pratt were in the same situation. Turning her neck was painful as she looked to see the Father's condition only to find an empty chair and a headset hanging in front of her.

She vaguely wondered if he had been thrown from the crash or had somehow managed to stay inside before leaving. He was handcuffed but in the chaos of their escape, no one had buckled him in. Before she could ponder on it more, the headset dangling in front of her interrupted any further thoughts about the Father.

"Are you there? Are you there?" The desperation was evident in Nancy's tone. "Are you there, Sheriff?... Deputy Hudson… If you are there, please pick up!"

Avery swallowed what tasted like blood and tried to reach the headset, knowing it was their best chance to get help. After a few failed attempts, she strained to unbuckle her seatbelt but it was locked tight. With her weight pulling at the slack, it made it nearly impossible to release the latch.

Sighing, she let her upper body fall loose as she tried to think herself out of the situation. Her head hurt with the pressure of all the blood rushing up and not pumping enough to the rest of her body. The sparks that crackled by her head was a deadly reminder for what was at stake. If the fuel began to leak on that side of the aircraft, it was only a matter of time before they were engulfed in flames. The smell of the fuel was strong, mixing with the stench of grinded rotors. She couldn't see the fuel but the fact that she could smell it was not a good sign. Green eyes darted around the body of the helicopter, searching for something that would help their escape from the belly of the time-bomb. The shiny steel barrel of her pistol caught her eye at what was the roof of the helicopter.

 _It must have fallen out of the holster during the crash_ , she thought as she remembered having the holster loose and ready for her to draw the pistol back at the compound.

Swallowing again, she tried to reach the gun, managing to brush her fingers against the end but unintentionally spinning it so it was just out of her reach. Her heart sank in her chest.

"Fuck!"

Nothing was going right today.

The headset was still murmuring desperate calls from Nancy which mingled with more sparks of the downed aircraft. Time was running out and it didn't look like the others were coming back from their unconscious state anytime soon. Frustration burned under her skin as the thought of failure clawed at the back of her mind. The team was depending on her and she was just too short of the things what would help. In a matter of time, they could be burning alive so these were the moments that counted.

And all she could do was hang there hopelessly!

 _No… Stop thinking like that_ … Avery physically shook her head despite the pain in her neck. She had to keep trying to get to Nancy.

There was still time but not enough for her to feel sorry for herself. As she began her struggles once more for the headset, a haunting melody reached her ears, making her veins run cold.

"Amazing Grace… How sweet the sound."

The singing…

Time was up.

Desperation tore at her insides as she tried to reach her only hope. She had to reach Nancy before Joseph came!

 _No-no-no!_

Fingers stretched to the voice as Nancy tried to call out for Pratt to answer.

"I'm here," Avery murmured to herself. "I'm here."

Giving one big push, she was able to grab the headset. Her heart skipped a beat as relief flooded over her. She resisted the urge to celebrate as she clicked the receiver to talk to the one person who could help.

But as quick as lightning, a hand gripped her wrist, making her voice get lodged in her throat.

Suddenly, golden lenses stared back to her and his unblinking gaze made her halt in her attempts.

"That saved a wretched like… meee…"

She couldn't move under his scrutiny and her breathing felt restricted. Fear gripped at her insides but she already knew she was trapped. Joseph's larger hand tightened agonizingly around her wrist causing her to release the headset despite trying to bite through the pain he inflicted.

He never blinked.

"I told you that God wouldn't let you take me." His voice washed over her and she hated how calm he was.

The static like voice broke through the tension. "Please… I need to know what's going on," Nancy sobbed as she pleaded over the headset.

Avery watched as Joseph grabbed the speaker and she hoped he wouldn't gloat about their situation to her. Nancy was already on the verge of tears and she feared it would make matters worse for the older lady.

Seeing the man in front of her, she watched in anticipation as he spoke to her and the team's only hope.

"Dispatch." His voice was no longer the soft tone he had used with her but demanding.

Nancy's desperate voice dropped a few octaves in shock. "Oh my God."

Joseph never took his eyes from Avery and she could see the satisfied gleam in his eyes. "Everything is just fine here… No need to call anyone."

He had to of thought himself clever to tell her not to call anyone. But Avery knew by Nancy's reaction that she was aware of who she was talking to. She and Whitehorse had worked years together; she would know they were in danger and call for back-up.

Avery waited to hear what Nancy would say, hoping the older woman would give Joseph a piece of her mind. But what came next shocked her.

"Yes, Father. Praise… be to you."

 _What the… fuck?!_

Avery's eyes widened in shock before narrowing as anger filtered away her fear at the realization of being tricked. Nancy is part of the Father's cult?! All the pieces were starting to come together as two emotions bubbled under the surface of her facade.

The first was pure hatred. The sting of betrayal, the humiliation at realizing how utterly fooled she had been and the desire to lash out because of that.

The second was the kind of morbid curiosity to know WHY it happened. To find some fact that might absolve her of any responsibility. Something that she could say, "See? Anyone would have fell for that. Not just me."

But it seemed like none of that mattered now.

Joseph studied her a moment longer before leaning closer until their faces were mere inches apart. He was intrigued with the girl. She wasn't screaming or crying like others would. She simply watched and seethed in silence as the truth unfolded before her. The fear that had danced beautifully in the depths of her green eyes was gone and replaced by something raw. He relished in the change and felt his excitement grow. The fact that she was this calm in a situation like this sparked admiration in him. Very few people were able to keep their composure when the cards were against them. He would know. He could count the number of people he knew that could on one hand.

The sound of vehicles pulling up to the crash site tugged at his attention. A curl pulled at the corner of his lips as he said his parting words, intent to see what a sheer threat would do to her resolve.

"No one is coming to save you," he purred.

Avery's eyes only narrowed a little more at his words but there was no change to the darkening gleam in her eyes.

Satisfied, Joseph took his leave and crawled out of the wreckage, leaving her to hang there and watch as his followers came to praise his safety.

"God has kept you under the shadow of his wings!" one man exclaimed.

Joseph raised his hands to calm his men while offering words of encouragement. "Everything is unfolding as God's plan. I am still here with you."

She could see him climb onto the hood of the truck to face his followers as more men arrived to the scene. Avery realized then that not only did she had the sparks waiting to bite at the fuel to worry about, but now a mob awaiting the word to tear into them.

"The First Seal has been broken. The collapse has begun."

Movement drew her attention as Hudson was beginning to come to. A sigh of relief escaped Avery, knowing now she was no longer alone.

"You ok?"

Hudson looked to her with her own disorientation before nodding. Both looked to watch Joseph preach to his cult, hoping that it wasn't leading to the inevitable. But they knew all too well the seconds were ticking away.

"We will take what we need. And we will preserve what we have. And we will kill all those who stand in our way!"

The others were beginning to wake up now, struggling to grasp onto the present situation.

"We have to move," Avery said more to herself as she began to struggle with her seatbelt once more.

Joseph's words began to echo in her ears as she tried to get the others' concentration on the task at hand. They didn't get the luxury of time like she had when she became conscious.

"Try to get free! We have to hurry!" Avery ordered.

The crown outside had grown in numbers and anger. "And these: the harbingers of doom will see the truth."

"We gotta get out of here… We gotta get out of here," Whitehorse mumbled to the others.

"Begin the REAPING!" Joseph demanded as the cult turn their hungry attention to the officers.

"Hudson!" Avery yelled. She didn't like how her friend was still dazed and pressed to her head.

"We have to get out of here!" Whitehorse warned louder.

The deputy finally seemed to get her barring as bruised hands ripped at her seatbelt. She struggled to get it unlatched as the crowd stalked closer. Avery reached out, determined to get her friend freed before the mob got to them. Men grabbed Pratt from his pilot seat before slicing the belt dragging him away before more hands began to tear at Hudson.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Avery snarled as she tried to keep her friend still enough to unbuckle herself.

But she was too late.

The men cut her belt next and yanked her away as Hudson yelled at them to release her. Avery gripped Hudson's boot, holding fast before the men all heaved her away at once. Losing her grip, she cursed aloud and looked to the Marshal who was left. She didn't even see the cult take the Sheriff.

"We have to get the fuck out of here!"

More hands reached into the helicopter as it was her turn to be taken away. She was ready to give them hell once she was freed but the hands never came as a fire raged up between her, Burke, and the assailants.

Joseph was calm as he watched the flames rise up in the helicopter. "Let them burn. This is God's will… His punishment."

A loud crash drew her attention back to the Marshal as he was freed from his seatbelt and made a dash out the wreckage into the forest.

"H-hey!" She yelled at him, shock settling in as she watched him leave, never slowing down or looking back. "Fucking prick!"

Avery pulled at her seatbelt, determined she would not die in a damn helicopter. She survived four crashes now. No need to end her streak.

She pulled at the seatbelt in a mad attempt to just rip it from the seat as panic and the heat of the flames made sweat bead on her forehead. Relief flooded through her as she finally fell free to the roof. Breathless from the smoke and panic, she rushed out of the metal prison and fled into the forest.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hey! They're getting away!" Gunshots ricocheted off the helicopter and whizzed by her head as she sprinted deeper into the woods in a mad dash to escape. She could hear the cult shouting as the roar of vehicles came to life.

"Stay off the path—off the trail," she warned under her breath to herself. Panic swelled in her chest and the world seemed to be moving in fast-forward as she ran as hard as her body would allow. There was no way she planned on making the chase easy for them. The moon had lit the night so fully that the cult would be able to drive without the use of headlamps. This would work in their favor so as not to give away their position to her. Once in the woods, though, the light was diminished into a confusing crisscross of dull moon glow and pitch-black shadows.

Tripping over some thick brush, she tried to listen to the cult in the distance. The woods became denser but she pushed forward, determined to put space between her and the others. Everything seemed to be working in her favor at the moment as her lungs burned for her to ease up.

Deciding she was making good distance, she slowed down and took the time to listen for signs of any peggies. The silence of the forest forced her to move slower then she wanted to, but the deputy feared not only being found by one of Joseph's followers but also of predators hunting at night. In the quiet, the slightest rustle of her feet across pine needles and dried leaves seemed like it echoed through the timberland.

Avery mentally kicked herself for forgetting to grab her gun from the helicopter before she ran. It was a stupid mistake that she knew she shouldn't make but inevitably had.

It was sometime close to eleven, and Avery scanned the sky for a glimpse of the stars, hoping to figure out which way was north. Hours had passed since they had left their office for what seemed now as a suicide mission. It was then that she heard voices of who she knew to be the peggies searching for her. The deputy halted in her tracks as she looked around to pinpoint the location before green eyes fell on the yellow glow of a light not even 30 yards away from her.

How had she missed that?

Avery wanted to crouch down to make herself smaller-but she was afraid to move. The thought made a spike of anger and shame hit her like a punch to the gut.

 _Get your head in the game! There is no reason for Joseph to have gotten under your skin like this!_ She closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths.

It had been only 14 months since she had last been deployed but she could feel the cobwebs sticking to the corners of her mind. She was acting like a rookie, like she had no experience in hunting, evading, or escaping.

 _"Are you good?" Michael asked as he stood over her crumpled form. A few other members from the unit stopped their sparring session and watched in interest at their exchange. Avery wasn't normally one to lose in hand-to-hand combat but Michael was the best on their team. The only one she couldn't win against._

 _"I'm fine," Avery heaved as she tried to ignore the pain in her back and hip. He had royally kicked her ass and she was definitely not fine._

 _As she tried to crawl to her knees, a foot connected with her face, causing her to fall to the ground with a busted lip. A glare burned towards the owner of said foot and she was not surprised to see the Major of their unit staring back coldly._

 _Major Biggs was in his early 40's but was a killer at heart and a natural strategist. His uniform was crisp as always and his salt and pepper hair was clean cut as he proudly displayed his military bearing. He had always been harder on Avery, determined to push her to be stronger. As a small female in their unit, the only female, he made it clear that if she ever fell behind training, he would discharge her from the team._

 _"Get up," He ordered._

 _Avery did as she was told. Again, she was met with a boot to the side of her ribs. Her breath lodged in her throat and she gasped for air._

 _"Are you good to go?"_

 _She bit back a comment to her leader as she looked back to him. "I'm good."_

 _"Then get up."_

 _Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she started to get her feet under her. He didn't move. As she got to her knees, he sent another kick but this time to her lower back. She cried out and fell to her hands._

 _"Are you good to go?" he repeated._

 _"…" Avery took a deep breath and forced herself to push down the pain._

 _The Major watched her for a moment longer before growing bored and delivering another kick to her._

 _This time she caught his boot by the ankle and glared back at him._

 _"I'm good to go." Her voice was resolute as she released his boot and stood to face him._

 _The Major cracked a toothy smile. Though she looked fine, her body ached and it took a lot of her will power to hide her pain._

 _"Glad to hear it Sergeant. Stop being lazy and get your head in the game."_

Back at the present, Avery took stock of her surroundings with a clearer mind. The voices from the building in front of her were calm as they discussed the events of the evening. They seemed to have just arrived to the location and had a fire starting. Crouching down, Avery began to duck around the brush, keeping an eye in their direction.

Static broke through the silence, causing her to jump as she realized it was her radio on her belt. She was grateful it was low enough to not attract the peggies attention.

"Hello…? Anyone hearing me? Hello, it's Burke…"

Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice coming through. He was still alive and free it seemed.

"I think I lost them… I see… I see a trailer nearby next to a long bridge. I'm going to try to get inside. If anyone is listening… If anyone is still alive—"

He was suddenly silent and Avery wondered if he was found or had to hide to avoid being detected. She didn't want to risk replying back.

 _Trailer next to a bridge… That is what he said._ Running to the top of a nearby hill and away from the camp, she looked to the sky, hoping to find her direction. As she searched in between the tree tops, a familiar trickling sound reached her ears and she eagerly began to look around until she found what she wanted.

 _All streams lead to rivers and rivers had bridges!_ It was just what she needed to conceal her tracks. She remembered the cult having dogs and being found was the last thing she wanted.

After nearly 10 minutes of running through the stream, she came across a trailer. Whether it was near a bridge, she could not say for sure, however it didn't hurt to check now that she was here. Having an ally would be a blessing. Even if that ally was an arrogant Federal Marshal.

After making sure the coast was clear, she made her way into the trailer, hoping it was as empty as it appeared. As she opened the door to slip inside, the deputy found that the trailer was unfortunately occupied.

A man latched onto her shoulders and shook her, causing her to lose her footing. Going into defense, she elbowed the assailant in the collarbone followed by a knee to the stomach. As the man stumbled back, she realized it was the Marshal who seemed not at all bothered by her attack, but rather relieved. Both took a few steps back to give each other room to gather their bearings on the situation.

"Jesus! Rook! I'm sorry… I thought they…I thought they got you!"

"You thought—" she started before changing her tone to accusing. "You left me, you ass! If I was caught then it would have come back to being your fault!"

He held his hands up but did not become defensive. "I know. I panicked. I'm sorry."

Avery shook her head, dropping the subject though she wished she would have hit the man harder. "What's going on? What's the plan?"

"Come inside more… w-we need to have a better vantage point." He ushered her further in the trailer as she checked all the windows once more to make sure there were no others lurking nearby. She didn't know how much more she could take for surprises.

"Oh Jesus. I had no idea the number of people Joseph had." His panic was evident as he shook his head and looked around. She watched him search the trailer; the gears turning in his head were clear as day as he tried to gather his wits. She found the change in his demeanor disturbing but valid. A few hours ago he was more confident of himself then he was now. Though it was nice to see him taking this seriously, it didn't help her own self-assurance at the moment. Panic was contagious.

Suddenly, his eyes fell on a photo on the wall and anger bubbled to the surface.

"Fuck! We're putting this whole family away!"

Avery stepped closer to see what he was talking about as he ripped the frame off the wall.

"All of 'em! Fucking lunatics!" Burke tossed the photo onto the table.

Curious, Avery walked over to the photo only to halt at the sight of the portrait. Family…

The three strangers that had stood with Joseph at the Alter weren't just higher-ups in the cult… they were his family.

"Interesting," she murmured. Looking over the four, she could begin to see a resemblance of the siblings. Hair, eyes, face structure. Nothing that was too apparent but only mere hints to the lineage. Slowly the puzzle was beginning to unravel.

"We're going to get out of this, Rook. But first things first, we have to arm ourselves."

Tearing her eyes from the portrait, she saw Burke charge a rifle before tossing it to her. She opened her mouth to reply when a dog bark sounded in the distance.

The Marshal seemed to be expecting it, however. "This is what we are going to do."

They walked over to the window, crouching for cover to see if anyone was close by before Burke continued while pointing to the truck.

"There's a road out there. We are going to take it and head northeast. It's probably only a few hours back to Missoula. And then we are going to come back here with goddamn National Guard and we're going to take out these—"

"They came around here. Check the inside of the trailer!" demanded one of the cult members from outside.

Avery narrowed her eyes and stalked to the front window where she saw a few members trudging towards them. Someone must had seen them move inside because the night lit up with bullets and the thunderous sound of gunpowder exploding.

"They're inside!"

With no use trying to be discreet, Avery opened fire on the members outside. She fell into an automatic motion of aiming and firing. Occasionally setting the rifle on burst when a target was making a run for it towards her. The gun was primitive compared to her personalized M4 back home. Her current rifle only held iron sights and she could tell they were not set to her shooting style. Despite all this, the peggies fell one by one.

"Rook! Grenade!" Burke warned as he tossed the steel shell out to the front of the trailer.

Avery had barely retreated from the window when she felt the house shake violently as the explosion dispersed the group outside. Going back to the window with her rifle at the ready, she saw only the slow decent of dust and scrap metal falling from the sky.

"Mason!" Burke's voice was suddenly further away. Looking towards the sound, she was relieved to see he was outside in a truck. "Let's go!"

She didn't have to be told twice as she made a dash for it. The sounds of vehicles revving up on the trail only pushed her tired body to run faster as she threw open the door and jumped in. Headlights burst through the trees and into the opening of the property just as Burke hit the gas and steered the truck away from the peggies.

The next 15 mins passed by what seemed to be seconds as she exchanged fire with the enemies who pursued them relentlessly. The road they took was thick with road blocks that Joseph had fortified in an attempt to keep them in the county. But it was the plane that really sealed their fate. No matter how desperate and skilled Burke's driving was, or how accurate Avery's shots were at clearing a path, the bombs being dropped was too much for them to avoid. It wasn't until they made it to a large bridge that everything fell apart.

Burke saw it before it happened causing him to yell at her to hold on. A forceful explosion blinded their view until all they saw was dark water rushing up to meet them before everything went black.

By the time Avery came to, she choked as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Only a couple hours ago, she was trapped in the wreckage of a helicopter set on fire. Now she was in a truck sinking in the middle of a river!

She felt the swell of panic rise as the crushing water suffocated her. With everything she had, she was able to find the strength to push the dread aside.

Next to her, Burke was working on breaking out of the cracked windshield as they sunk deeper. Struggling to unbuckle her seatbelt once again, the deputy was relieved to find it easier then the helicopters.

Once free, she turned to the Marshal. Black spots began to taint her conscious state as she looked around the truck only to find her partner swimming away from the sinking vehicle.

A glare settled over her features as she felt her lungs ache for air. It was beginning to be a familiar sight of him leaving her for dead.

Pushing herself out the window he left through, she made a mad attempt to reach the surface. The moon shone brightly as her guide which helped her avoid steel beams and other debris from the bridge. The black spots were not letting up however, and soon she realized it was too late.

She wasn't going to make it.

"Target hit! They are now in the river," the radio reported as the pilot made his way back to the airstrip.

The Father picked up the radio to reply as he watched the plumes of smoke in the distance that was now the bridge. The escapees would now be forced to move on foot once again if they tried to evade them. "Nice work. I want a team down at the riverbank to retrieve them."

Joseph stood at the top of a hill nearby, able to watch all the events unfold. He knew that this was the beginning of the collapse as he had seen in his dreams but watching it all unfold fortified his belief in God's plan. He never felt more powerful then he did in that moment.

"Behold it was Whitehorse and Hell followed with him…" he murmured to himself.

Behind him, he felt his younger brother's presence approach. "What do you wish to do with the others?"

Joseph didn't say anything for a minute; allowing the sentence to hang in between them a moment or two while he decided what was best. The 5 officers that had disrupted the sermon that night were not from Hope County. He could kill them, in-prison them, or convert them. Regardless, there was no chance of them leaving the valley and they were too far from the officers' town to be bothered by outsiders. Especially if they 'perished in a helicopter crash'. It would be no trouble to hide their fate with a simple newspaper article in their home county to deter an investigation. Nancy would be more than happy to take care of that bit for him.

He tilted his head to the sky and closed his eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, he turned to John who waited for a response. Though the younger brother was quiet and calm, Joseph knew he was impatient beneath the surface and was eager to tend to the intruders whichever way he told him to.

Placing a hand on John's shoulder, he squeezed lightly before replying. "All deserve a chance at atonement. But first, we shall go collect the other locust from the river."

A smirk pulled at John's lips as he followed his brother to the vehicles. Joseph jumped into one van while John got into the passenger side of a large truck.

"Follow the van," he ordered the driver who did as he was told. Pulling off of the dirt road and onto the asphalt, John never tore his eyes from the van. He wondered what Joseph had in mind for their new prisoners. Would they all come to his region for the cleansing? Would they resist and be forced to drown in bliss? Or would they dry up Joseph's patience and be put out of their miserable existence? All these options made him excited. He hoped they would challenge him. He wanted to hurt them. Not a specific person in particular. Any would do. But the fact that they had trespassed to their county and tried to take his brother away was something he couldn't forgive so easily.

Of course, he would need to watch his words around Joseph or else he would think that John was straying from the path again. He couldn't have that…

"What do you think the Father is saying to the sinners?" the driver piped up, drawing John from his thoughts. John regarded the man momentarily before answering in a nonchalant tone.

"I'm sure he is preaching to them about how wrong they were in their actions tonight. Or not saying anything at all, more like it." He knew his brother was not one to gloat.

The driver glanced at his leader before turning back to the road. He knew better then to get too curious. As he tried to focus on the approaching bridge, his thoughts turned back to the sinners. The Father's prophecy had come true. All the followers had believed it but there was always some part of them that were never fully prepared for it. The Sheriff and Deputies that were currently tied up in the back of Joseph's van was the proof they needed.

John was no fool. He knew well enough that the members of the cult were nervous. Everything was coming true. Never did they expect such an attack in Hope County as this night had been. The sinners locked away in the van had no idea what they had just walked into. Their desperation was evident and their fear was delightful to John. He could only imagine them hoping desperately for the rookie girl and Marshal to escape and bring help.

 _Imprudent on their part.._.

After arriving along the side of the damaged bridge, the men jumped out and joined a few others that had already been at the river's edge searching. Both drivers stayed behind with their rifles, guarding the prisoners while John and Joseph walked side by side to the waterway to meet with the search party. Looking around, John noticed vehicles filled the parts of the undamaged bridge and teams of members searched the shoreline of the river. The mangled edge of the bridge was luckily off to one side and didn't hinder the support beams. It would still be usable to cross into the other regions.

"There were two in the truck! Search the trees-- In the trees, I said," ordered one of the men to the others as they searched for the last two officers.

"Over here!" called out a burly man. "I found one!"

A few members broke from their search and crowded the sinner who was unfortunate enough to get captured. John was pleased to see the prisoner hadn't made it too far as he was eager to end this night already.

"Check the shoreline for the other one!"

"No--get off me! I am a United States Federal Marshal! Unhand me!" the prisoner ordered.

John snarled and stepped forward quickly to the crowd. A few members parted to allow him and the Father in to view the man who struggled in their hold. Two men held up the Marshal to John while he bent down to the sinner's level. Grabbing Burke's jaw, John forced him to meet his eyes as he spoke.

"You continue to try to hide behind that title of yours like it will help you."

He received a dark glare as the Marshal opened his mouth to spew out more curses. John interrupted him before he could get another word out.

"If we didn't baulk at the title before the compound, and the helicopter, and the bombs…" He grabbed Burke's throat next and gave a squeeze. "What makes you think we will now?"

Burke was smart enough to let the fear show but the moment was fleeting. With a jerk of his head, he spit at the younger brother, managing to land saliva on his leather jacket.

A displeased expression clouded over John as he looked from the offensive spit on his jacket then back to the man in front of him. With his free hand, he sent a hard punch right into the Marshal's face, causing his head to fling back from the force.

"You filthy, little—"

"Brother." The calm voice broke through his rage as he stepped back to allow Joseph through. The Father's hand found his shoulder once again but it was a reassuring touch. John could feel the slight wave of relief that he had not displeased his brother in his outburst. That was only proof that Joseph either held some form of resent towards the Marshal or he was understanding of John's anger. Either way, he was cleared from a lecture about his actions.

Joseph looked to the Marshal who hung dazed in between the two men that held him up. A scowl creased his brow as he kneeled to the Marshal's level and grabbed his chin as his brother had moments ago. Yellow Aviators didn't hide the sharp glare that burned beneath but Burke knew better then to press his luck any further.

"This one needs… a little Faith…take him to the Pilgrimage," Joseph said quietly but to Burke's ears it felt like a death sentence.

"No! Let me go! Fuckers! Let go!" A pistol hit the back of the man's head, causing him to fall unconscious.

Without waiting, the two men pulled Burke up the slope to join the other 3 prisoners in the van.

Joseph stayed kneeled down for a moment longer, staring into the river. John waited for his brother to do something next but when he realized the man was lost in thought, he decided to take charge of the situation.

"Find the other one, keep searching!" John demanded. Men scattered as they began their pursuit once more.

Joseph waited until all was gone before standing and facing his brother.

"Fifteen minutes of hunting for her. If you don't have her by the end of that time, come to the compound. We will distribute the sinners in the meantime until she is found."

Air… She was breathing air. Did that mean she made it out? Was her luck really that good?

The grit of sand and pebbles rasped against her palms as she blinked up at the night sky. The breeze was cold, causing her to shiver as she attempted to gain her bearing but the events of the evening's car chase, explosions and waterlogged ears made it impossible to clear her head.

Trying to wake from this dreamlike stage, she attempted to roll to her side before strength seemed to leave her in darkness once more.

Moments later, the crunching sound of footsteps on the riverbank roused her back to consciousness as she opened her eyes to see a man leering over her. The fleeting voice in the back of her mind told her to escape but it was gone as soon as it came along with her cognizance.

"My children…we must give thanks to God."

The voice broke through the obscurity that clouded her mind. Where was she? It was warmer now with no chilling breeze…

"The day I have prophesied to you has arrived. Everything I have told you has come true…."

 _That voice…_ Her hazy mind felt like sparks were trying to ignite her body at the sound of the Father's voice, as if trying to kick-start her consciousness back to life.

"The authorities who tried to take me from you are now in the loving embrace of my family…save for one."

 _One…. Was that her? No, it must be Burke_ … She was captured from the river, _right_?

The pain that coursed her body was beginning to ground her from the blurred thoughts. She gathered that she was now inside a structure. The room was warm and the voice that preached was an echo off the walls. The air she breathed in held a thick musk similar to that of a basement or attic.

 _Compartmentalize_ … Opening her eyes, she found she was indeed correct in her assumption. She was inside a room with warm light reaching through the area. A man stood with his back to her; the voice leaking through the radio held his attention. The stranger was tall… Or better yet she was on the floor with her wrists zip-tied to the foot of an iron bed.

 _Not much of a prison_ … This only brought more questions to her mind.

The voice campaigning through the radio interrupted any more thoughts she had on her situation. Though she was glad she wasn't face to face with the Father, the unknown man before her didn't ease any of her nervousness as he was listening intently to what Joseph said.

"But this wayward Soul will be found. They will be punished…and in the end, they will see our glorious purpose. I am your Father. You are my Children. And together we will march to—"

The knob turning off the radio seemed so final as the older man turned to face her. He wasn't the least bit surprised that she was awake, which she found interesting. He was a bald man, looked to be in his 50's or 60's. He held a cigarette in between calloused fingers that he flicked anxiously before turning back to look at the radio with a shake of his head.

Seizing the moment with his back to her, she took in her surroundings. Avery knew that whatever information she learned while trapped had to be unknown to the captor or else they would be able to counter any escape attempts.

The focal point of the room was the US flag that hung proudly on the wall, surrounded by old war photos that littered the same shelf that shared the radio. The rest of the room seemed bare besides a few other pictures here and there. The bed she was contained to was an old iron rod twin size, something a single person or teen would probably use. There looked to be a closet by the headboard but she wasn't able to peak at its contents without drawing attention to her.

Before she could get a chance to search for more hints to her location, he turned towards her with a scowl on his face, causing her to question if he had caught her inspecting the room.

"You know what that shit means? It means the roads have all closed," he snapped as he walked towards her. Avery tensed, preparing to be struck if the man decided to lash out. He clearly was in a foul mood. "It means the phone lines have been cut!"

Reaching the girl, he kneeled down to her level as he continued his rant. "It means there's no signals getting in or out of this valley! But mostly," he leaned forward. "It means we are all fucked!"

Taking in his words, Avery was starting to realize that perhaps he wasn't a cult follower. That didn't ease her nerves being in such close proximity of an angry individual that clearly blamed her for his misfortune. Not that she could blame him. The officers' presence that night had indeed turned their town into a warzone.

The older man's sneer turned to a glare while he stared at her, waiting for some kind of reaction. It looked like she was about to say something but he didn't want to hear it. Shaking his head, clearly frustrated, he stood.

"The goddamn 'Collapse'… they all think the worlds coming to an end now. They've been waiting for it. For years. Waiting for somebody to come along and fulfill their prophecy and kick off their goddamn Holy War… Well you sure as shit kicked…" He stood above her, pondering.

The silence stretched for a moment before Avery felt like she needed to say something, plead her case, and find answers….

"It was just a job…"

The words felt hollow and cold. She realized too late that it held more meaning to her then to the man before her. To him, it probably seemed like Avery was saying 'sucks for you, not my problem'. _Sigh_ … Her head was going to be the death of her if it didn't start functioning as it should…

Clearing her throat, she began, "I'm realizing the cult is a much bigger issue then we had suspected. We were only supposed to arrest Joseph and get out. None of this was supposed to happen."

Her tone was neither pleading nor defensive. She was only stating the facts as they were. Sure as hell sounds like a military report again.

The older man's expression never changed at her words as he studied her. "The smartest thing for me to do would just be to hand you over to them."

So her assumptions were correct. He was just an innocent civilian in the crossfire.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did. We never meant to get bystanders involved."

At this, his glare dropped for a split second before twisting to a scowl. He began to ponder over the situation before sighing in defeat. "Fuck… "

Pulling out a knife, he stood over her but hesitated. Avery grew more nervous by the second but she hid it well. Except for her eyes. The green danced with anticipation at what the man had in store for her life at that moment. Finally, he reached out and cut the zip-ties that bound her wrist before straightening.

Avery let her wrist fall from the slack, blood rushing back to her cold fingertips. The skin felt raw but she was pleased to at least have control of her arms again.

"Get out of that uniform… we need to burn it. There's some fresh clothes over there," he said while motioning to the closet behind her.

"When you get change, come and see me." He paused once again. "We'll see if we can un-fuck this situation."


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is Chapter 3 and it's over 10,000 words! Longest chapter yet!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for my OC.**

After the change of clothes, Avery had taken the liberty to find more information about her disgruntled 'host'. Gathering from the many shipping containers attached to one another, lack of windows and the valuable ammo room, it was safe to say this man was a prepper.

Slowly, she had skimmed the area looking for the stories that hid through the dimly lit bunker as she tried to piece together her own answers. It turned out that the man's name was Dutch Roosevelt, or better yet, 'Dutch' was his nickname. The older man had served his time in Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne; that much was clear from the photos. Putting this information with the rest of what happened the night before allowed her to piece the full picture together.

The cult believed the world was coming to an end.

Apparently, so did Dutch.

But his beliefs did not follow with the cults so that only left one question. Where did his ideals end and theirs begin?

Avery was well aware that many of the veterans that had served during Vietnam had come home only to be ostracized by their own nation. If she followed the typical story that she had heard of before, then she could only guess that he held his own reserves at coming home from the war. Vietnam was known to be a no-rules fight that the U.S had failed to understand in time. Nothing was off limits. It was a hard thing to teach yourself out of when one came home. Perhaps that was why he had taken to living on his own, tucked away with all the things to survive.

Before she could speculate any further, he had come back to see what was taking her so long. She was caught red-handed looking through a cabinet which she closed slowly at his disapproving glare.

"Let's go before I change my mind about keeping you around," he warned.

Following him back into his main room, she was impressed, and unnerved, at his many tables that held computers with security cameras playing on the screens, radios, and a large map of the County.

After listening to him debrief on the events that had unfolded (followed by how badly the Officers' presence had escalated the situation) she realized her new role in this. By the looks of it, her avoidance of Joseph made them take drastic measures including road barricades and blowing the tunnel leading out of their valley. The citizens were being harassed daily and the cult was eager to find her.

Now she had an ultimatum; stop the cult single-handedly and try to get her team back, or Dutch would hand her over to the Father.

No, he didn't outright say that, but Avery was not stupid. He had himself and other people to consider. He didn't know her, so why keep her around if handing her over was a means to an end? Given the option, she knew being handed over was not something she preferred. So she would nod her head and listen to what he had on his mind. Luckily her goals lined up with the his anyway. She needed to find her team.

But first, she needed to know who she was up against.

Dutch was more than happy to elaborate there. As she stood before the map, she listened as he broke down the regions and outposts that the cultist have claimed. When she began to dig deeper as to the siblings, he seemed to hesitate. The disgruntled veteran was quiet for a moment as he looked between her and the map. It looked as though he was having second thoughts as to her credibility to handle the Seed family. Part of her felt relieved to know that he did care about her to an extent, even if they had just met. Another part wanted to explain that she was tougher then she looked and had a plethora of skills to help her against any foes.

But she kept those thoughts to herself. She didn't know what to expect from this family and wasn't too eager to step into the ring with any of them, so to speak. She had already underestimated them one time too many. _Not really my fault that I didn't get more of a warning of what I was walking into…_

After the tense silence had passed, Dutch let out an exhausted sigh as he dropped his gaze. Shaking his head, he looked back to her and she could see just how tired he really was.

"Look, kid…. I'm not making you go out there-Not against them. But if you want your friends back… that's the only way. My opinion? I would count yourself lucky. It may be too late for the others…" It was a sign of defeat from the old man. At least enough defeat that he could live with.

Shaking her head, she knew she couldn't back down. "I'm not leaving them. If I have to take on the whole family then I will."

She paused as she stared off at the far away wall. When she spoke again, it seemed like she was talking to herself more then to Dutch. He could see the wheels in her head turning as she mulled over the scenarios.

"Compartmentalize… I'll start with one part of the region and work out. If I can start gaining ground then that will make their hold weaker. I just have to find where my team is. " Turning back to the map, she missed Dutch's surprised expression as he listened to her resolution.

He hadn't expected her to willingly take to the challenge and he couldn't help but think she just didn't understand the severity of it all. But a small part of him began to think that perhaps she knew exactly what she was doing and it wasn't just false confidence.

"Aren't you just a rookie?" He had questioned.

She only shrugged but didn't turn away from the map. "Depends who you ask."

At this, Dutch chuckled. Whether she was prepared or not, he couldn't help but trust her judgement. "Well, sorry to say but your team isn't in one location. Joseph had the bright idea to split them all up. He tends to do that when he gets a fresh group of recruits."

Avery turned back to look at Dutch with a questioning look. "Split them up?"

The older man nodded and stepped beside her to view the map. Pointing at the lines he had charted that split the regions up, he began to explain.

"Remember how I said that there are three regions? The Heralds of the regions are the siblings of Joseph. Not only do they secure the land of Hope County, but each has their own contributions…." He paused as he seemed to think over his words. "More like their own twisted talents. Everyone in the family is a little screwy in the head, if ya know what I mean."

"I'm assuming my team is split up with each of them…. What kind of 'talents' are we talking about?" Avery questioned with furrowed brows. Dutch pointed at the lower region labeled Holland Valley.

"This here is the youngest brother's region. He has the most public role of everyone and isn't nearly as pleasant as he seems. John will use intimidation, belief, and violence to secure any resources he sees fit. Be it property or people, doesn't make no difference to him. He used to be a lawyer but you will come to know him as 'The Baptist' more than anything," Dutch paused as if he had a bad taste in his mouth just by talking about the youngest brother. "He's a sadistic prick, kid. Your Deputy Hudson friend is with him. She would be a lost cause in my book… If she doesn't convert, she will probably be killed."

Avery listened to Dutch as she stared at the youngest brother's picture, trying to get a read on him. She remembered the way he had stared at her when she had arrested Joseph. The evil glint in his eyes and the cat-like smile. Sadist surely would fit the picture there.

"Then next is Faith's region in Henbane River. Don't let her fool you. She is the Siren of the family, though not officially a member."

"Adopted?" Avery asked with a tilt of her head.

Dutch gave a wry smile. "Something like that. She may seem innocent but she is far from it. Do you know what Bliss is?"

The brunette shook her head.

"Bliss is a hallucinogen that she uses to mess with your mind. Faith is in charge of manufacturing the drug and even has some followers that have indulged a little _too_ much. Those are her so-called Angels. Twisted bitch… She's the one that has your Sheriff and Marshal. If you are really set on trying to get some of your team back, I would advise her area if you think you are mentally strong enough. She's a master manipulator so make sure you don't believe anything she says, kid." He looked to be getting into his foul mood once again but Avery knew it wasn't directed towards her. The resentment ran deep against the family but she could understand why no one was openly opposing the cult. They had sank their roots in deep in Hope County.

"What about Whitetail Mountains?"

Dutch looked at the map before shaking his head. "Don't worry about that place. Like I said. I would get your friends from Faith and call it good."

Avery furrowed her brows at the man. She wasn't here to just get half her people. "I came here with four others. That's how I am leaving this place. The only area left for Pratt to be is Whitetail Mountains, right? Then I need to know about it."

The veteran didn't seem taken aback from her firm tone. Instead, he only narrowed his eyes back at her. "What makes you think you stand a chance against them? I know I said you are supposed to un-fuck this situation but all you are doing is just setting yourself up to get killed."

"I haven't died yet, Dutch. However, if I do then you won't have to worry about them hunting for me and harassing your people so much. It's a win-win. You don't have anything to lose from it," she argued.

Dutch wasn't having it. "Just because you haven't fucking died yet doesn't make you qualified. You would have been caught already if it wasn't for me, remember _Rookie_? Probably be swimming in Bliss right about now!"

Avery rolled her eyes at his little jab. Damn her luck for being stuck with someone so stubborn _._

"I have served in the Air Force for 8 years before I became this _Rookie_. And _no_ , I didn't fly planes or sit in a damn chair," she added with an accusing finger at the man. She had heard plenty of jokes in her lifetime about 'Chair Force'.

Dutch began to open his mouth but Avery knew what was coming and interrupted him. "I was Security Forces, or better yet, a K-9 handler for my Tactical unit. Hand chosen, mind you, so I know my stuff."

A tense silence fell over them before Dutch chuckled causing Avery to cross her arms as she waited for the verdict. "Fair enough. If you really want to know then fine." Facing the map again he narrowed his eyes at the photo at the top of the paper. "Jacob Seed... Oldest brother and main recruiter. He runs the security, so to speak. There isn't a whole lot that I do know except that there have been rumors of brainwashing and he trains a pack of wolves to become his little hell-hounds. They are called Judges and run his region along with his hunters—"

"Judges and Angels? They are a theatrical bunch, aren't they?" Avery asked with a raise of her brow.

Dutch sighed before continuing. He still wasn't sure how to take the young deputy. She seemed capable…-ish. He wasn't exactly sure if she was full of herself or if she really was equipped to handle the cult.

"I will look into what I can find on your buddy there. But I would advise you to stay away from his region. Jacob is not like the others."

* * *

**Two weeks later**

John leaned forward in a church pew as he replayed the update from Faith in his head. Anger bubbled under his calm demeanor but he knew he wasn't fooling anyone else. It was very clear how livid he was as he stewed silently in his seat. Luckily he didn't have to worry about being reprimanded for his anger by his brothers, seeing as they were not too pleased at the moment either. The church was mute as the words lingered in the stale air, each person in their own thoughts.

Of everyone present, it seemed that Jacob was the least bothered by the news that Faith had brought them. The oldest brother sat beside John with his bowie knife in hand, mindlessly playing with his favorite weapon. The methodical twisting of the blade between his fingers would normally irritate John to no end but today it allowed for his mind to focus on something else besides the elusive Deputy. How she continued to slip through their fingers baffled John. If it wasn't for the damage she was causing, he would find the chase amusing. But that was not the case today.

Faith stood before them with her hands folded in front of her and she kept her head down in shame. The stillness that filled the church was heavy and the youngest brother was grateful none of their followers were inside with them at the moment. It would not do anyone good if they were in the presence of an aggressive John.

Joseph stood with his back turned to his siblings as he stared at the ceiling of the church. No one could see his expression but the tense muscles on his bare back was enough to show his irritation. John vaguely wondered if he was fighting with himself to stay calm as he was or if he was debating the next steps per God's plans.

After a few more moments of tense silence, Joseph turned to his brothers, pausing for a split second, before facing Faith. She flinched once she felt his eyes upon her but she was smart not to step away.

"Exactly how many Bliss fields has she destroyed?" The Father's voice was calm but there was an underlying tightness that hinted to his irritation.

Faith lowered her eyes before answering. "8 fields and the water plant where we were dumping the Bliss into…"

Joseph narrowed his eyes in thought. "How many times has she went under the Bliss effects?"

Faith pondered for a moment. She knew she had put the deputy under twice herself but the effects of burning the fields and her excursions through the tainted water all played a factor in it. "I would say she had to have been under the influence around a dozen times already. Two times from myself."

"A dozen times? What are you doing differently than with the idiot Marshal and Sheriff and all the other followers?" John asked as he stood up from his seat. He was getting too restless sitting there as he listened to Faith's failure in apprehending the girl.

"Be calm, brother," Joseph warned as he raised his hand to calm John. The younger brother sat back down with a scowl, ignoring the look Jacob sent his way. He understood how his younger brother was becoming frustrated but he was also aware that his temper had a way of making him stray from the path that they followed.

Turning back to Faith, who sent an annoyed glare to John, the Father asked "How has she reacted to the Bliss?"

Though the drug was potent, the effects were known to be different with every person that went under. Only a few people had a higher tolerance for it which meant that they had to change tactics by sending those to either John or Jacob's care. The value that the individuals brought to Eden's Gate was another factor in… _persuading_ those to walk the path.

The elusive Deputy was important to the collapse; this Joseph knew. What he didn't know was her exact role in this. His visons had shown him the world set ablaze as well as the world as it was today. There was a fork in the path but who made that choice was unclear. Was it the girl who did or did she just play the stepping stone of someone else making that decision? Either way, God had explained the importance of her presence so he was determined to not lose patience or hope in the girl just yet. _All will see the truth in their own time._

"Nothing out of the usual. With all her exposure the last couple weeks, I am pretty sure during the last session I was close to breaking her," Faith explained. She paused before attempting to continue but she was cut off.

"You can't have been that close if she burned Joseph's bible afterwards and freed the Marshal…" John muttered to himself.

Hearing the snide remark come from his brother, Jacob leaned forward in his pew with a sigh. He sheathed the blade back into its leather case before shaking his head. "I don't think they need your opinion right now."

John tossed a mocking glare at the redhead while crossing his arms, ignoring Faith's second scowl completely. "It's not an opinion if it's stating facts. Besides," he turned back to Faith and Joseph, "how much longer are we willing to let her run around and destroy our work? I propose I send some of my men to Henbane to retrieve her. Some of them could use the extra work."

"And what would you prove by detaining her?" Joseph asked with a disagreeing tone. "You forget that using force does not always yield to loyalty. And it is loyalty that we want."

Turning to Faith, he reached for a lock of her hair and let it slide from his fingers slowly like sand. Her tense form and widened eyes did not go unnoticed by anyone in the church. She knew she was failing in persuading the Deputy to their side. The fact that Avery Mason burned the Father's prophet and freed the Marshal from the Bliss was a turning point that she didn't account for. What was worse was the Father's soft touches to her hair that were the opposite of what she had expected his reaction to be. There was anger and disappointment that laced his words and shadowed his movements but he didn't act on them. She wasn't foolish enough to think she was in the clear because at that moment, he was using her to prove a point.

She was not part of their family. And she was not the first nor the last to carry the name Faith. Though she didn't regret turning to follow the Father and his brothers, she still knew where her place was. She was a tool. A very valuable and treasured tool but a tool none the less. She would always be on the outside no matter her feelings for the man currently playing with her locks.

The Father continued to run his fingers through Faith's hair as he explained his reasoning to John. "We need to convince her to follow the path and have her join willingly. Once she realizes her purpose, she will do anything to stay on the path with us. Isn't that right, my dear?"

Faith exhaled softly as she gave a modest nod. "Yes Father."

Joseph knew he was having the desired effect from the girl before him. She was doing her job in her sessions with the Deputy but it seemed that the officer had a stronger will then most. This was a test for Faith to overcome, one that God had decided to task her with. She had to push herself and the Bliss to be stronger than their subject or else one of the others would be responsible for the deputy. It wouldn't be a problem if that was the case but it would only show that Faith would be at her peak, in which she couldn't progress any further.

Pushing the thoughts aside, the Father took a few steps to stand before John. "This deputy is strong willed. We must play our end of the game accordingly. If it comes to it, then we will change strategies. Until then, we will give her the options of joining freely by seeing the light."

John let out a breath, allowing for the tightness in his shoulders to slacken. He knew he had disappointed his brother by pressing his opinion on the subject. "I understand…"

Joseph set his hand on his younger brother's shoulder, showing that he was forgiven before saying softly, "I hear your concerns, John. I will accompany Faith during her next session to gauge the girl's reaction. If I see that there is room for other options, we will discuss it then."

Turning back to Faith he continued. "I will be in touch with you soon. You are dismissed, my dear."

Faith bowed her head with a small smile. There was a blossom of relief that she felt knowing Joseph would assist her. Over all, the evening went much better then she had originally expected. "Thank you, Father. Praise be to you."

With that, she left out the Church to plan her next session with the girl, leaving the brothers behind to discuss the events.

Once the doors closed behind her, Joseph went to sit on the stairs of the alter as he faced his brothers. The news that night was not anything they wanted to hear. He felt that his decision on the situation was valid but it was now that he wanted to hear his brothers' opinion. Though the followers of Eden's Gate never saw 'behind the scenes', Joseph greatly depended on his family's support. The three of them had been through so much in their lives, together and separated. He never wanted that to happen to them again.

Jacob, sensing Joseph's turmoil, decided to break the silence. "I have to agree with John. This Deputy is wreaking havoc in Henbane and it is only causing more work for Faith's followers. She already lost her hold on the Sheriff. Now the Marshal… She is struggling to handle this girl."

"Are you volunteering to take Avery Mason to your region?" Joseph asked skeptically with a raise of his brow.

At this the brawny man shook his head with a smirk. "Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't mind putting the girl in her place but I know how our roles play out."

They all did. With new recruits came both those willing and those opposed. For those opposed, they had 3 levels to convert them. Faith and her Bliss was the most subtle of the County. She was the Siren, the one to win over the hearts and minds using her hallucinogen and charm. If that didn't work then John would build from that with cleansing and preaching, using the freedom of religion to sway their will. If all else failed and they still served a purpose, then it was Jacob's turn to have some fun. It didn't matter if they were strong or weak. He had a job for both kinds of people in his region.

He remembered the night Avery had arrested Joseph. When given the orders to apprehend him, she had hesitated and thought about the outcome of her actions. This, at least, showed she was smart and didn't make impulsive decisions or blindly follow orders. He remembered looking back at the girl and meeting sharp green eyes. She was challenging them to stay back until she decided what to do. _Tough little thing,_ he had thought to himself.

"However," Jacob continued as he addressed his brothers. "I believe that if you and Faith still can't get her to turn, then we will need to change our approach. Mason may need a heavier hand to force her."

John gave a nod of his head in agreement with Jacob. Though he was already berated once, he knew now was the time to speak his piece.

"I don't think we should risk much more damage to our supplies or people for this one Deputy's sake. I understand she has a role but we cannot lose footing here. I can have my followers dig up some research on her to see who exactly we are dealing with…" Being a lawyer, he was more than capable of finding information on a person. It would be an easy task for him and his followers to do.

Jacob leaned back in the pew while tossing one arm over the back as a new subject was brought up. "I have been thinking about that too. Mason is this so called _Rookie_ but is able to do more damage in two weeks than the Cougars have in months. She has to have some form of training in her history. No one is _that_ lucky."

Joseph pondered on this for a moment before looking to Jacob. "Would you think prior Military?"

The older brother didn't hesitate to think it over. "If I had to guess, she must be. If not then perhaps a transfer from another Police Department where they had more tactical training."

"Yes!" John stated as he threw a hand up for emphases. Blue eyes looked from Jacob to Joseph before he continued. "If she is Military then they are trained to not break if captured by the enemy. That would explain why Faith is in over her head. We need to push Mason to a different region."

Jacob knew that John had a point. If he was in the same position behind enemy lines, then a dream-like drug and innocent girl wouldn't sway his mind. The little voice in his head said that if anyone of them could convert her, it would be him. He knew how that type of mind worked.

During his Airborne training, his battalion was put into SERE or Prisoner of War scenarios. The training was very real and lasted for weeks at a time which is where they learned to escape and evade capture from the enemy. Those that got captured were tortured to see if they would break under pressure. Surprisingly, many did. Some gave in under the pain and fear being inflicted on them relentlessly. Others were persuaded to give information after the captors became their "friends". The nice-guy act was an easy tool to use against many scared individuals.

Faith was currently playing the role as the "friend"; the wolf in sheep's clothing. She was the downfall of those weak minded individuals who thought that the world was kinder then it really was. Her Bliss and innocent smile was the backbone of her sessions and it proved to be effective.

Avery, however, was a fighter. She wasn't budging to their side which only proved that she needed a good shove in that direction. Something he was able to do in his region easily.

The opportunity to volunteer to take her was appealing but he wasn't ready to make his move just yet. He wanted to learn about her more. If she had a Military background and was this skilled at using her training, then there were more questions to be had. Not only that but it also opened a new door of possibilities for his conditioning that he used.

The suggestions hung in the air above them all as the Father listened to both brothers. Once Avery had crawled out of hiding, she hit the cult hard and fast. Though she was the lowest ranking out of the officers as a Junior Deputy, she was relentless. After a small skirmish in Holland Valley, they had assumed she would move deeper into that region. What they didn't expect was that she would disappear into Henbane. Once there, she didn't waste any time in making her move against them with the help of the Cougars.

They had clearly underestimated her and were paying the price for it. In the end, though, his decision was already made. The results from that was yet to be determined but he knew he wanted to see how the Deputy reacted under Bliss.

Would he be able to persuade her or would she prove to challenge them further?

"I hear your concerns and I understand. As of now, I will join Faith in her next session and we will see how she reacts. If the results are unsatisfying then we will discuss further options. In the meantime, John…. I would like for you to have your followers gather her history."

John couldn't keep a pleased smile curl his lips. He would get his wish to have a role in this chase after all.

The Father turned to his older brother and paused, thinking something over for a moment. As Jacob waited, he was surprised that he felt a little anxious to see what his brother would have him do. Normally he didn't concern himself with the sinners in other regions until it affected him. Avery Mason was a different case. He somehow felt eager to interact with someone who was possibly prior military. A fighter like her would just make it more fun.

Finally Joseph seemed to come to a decision.

"When John gets his findings on the girl, I would like you to review it with him. Hopefully we won't need it after this session but I would like to be prepared. We should not risk losing any other supplies in the meantime."

"Easy enough." Jacob just hoped John would be able to find her information sooner than later. He had a feeling that Joseph's next session wasn't going to go as planned and it would be one of their turns to play with Avery soon enough. If she actually was prior military then he was eager to see what she was capable of.

* * *

Avery leaned against the wall of the prison gates as she looked out at the wilderness. The breeze was soft as it brushed through the countryside and she inhaled the crisp, fresh air. It was an improvement from the staleness of the prison's stuffy atmosphere.

Staring out along the rolling hills, Avery could see a doe grazing along the safety of the tree line, oblivious to her watching from the distance. Every now and then the deer would perk her head up and listen to the area around her before going back to the grass. It was strange for a day to seem so peaceful after all the events that had happened. It was like the world was all as it should be and there wasn't any civil war brewing.

Suddenly a hiss escaped her lips causing the brunette to rub her temples as an ache began to return. She had decided on resting in the safety of the prison to sleep off some of the Bliss but the effects were lingering longer the more she was exposed to it. The last time she went under was the strongest yet and the persistent headache was proof. It all seemed like a terrible hangover.

Thinking back on the two weeks, she never would have expected the progress in getting her team back would be this slow. Since the day she left Dutch's bunker, with only a 9mm pistol and limited ammo, it became painstakingly obvious how overwhelmed she was. If it wasn't for the little radio that Dutch used to communicate to her, she knew she would be much worse off. She depended on his guidance through the county and was pleased that he was paranoid enough to monitor the cult's radio channels. Though they had taken a little while to warm up to each other, he had soon become her teammate in all the chaos.

Coming into Henbane and stumbling upon the Sherriff at the Prison was a huge relief to her. Though he was occupied with keeping the Cougars afloat and not able to accompany her, it was still nice to know he was safe and free from Faith. It made her job easier getting one person from the Bliss instead of two.

The biggest help to Avery was a Blue Heeler named Boomer. On the way to Henbane, she had crossed a part of John's region where they were capturing dogs to use in the Cult. It was here that she was able to interfere with the little ammo that she had and it was well worth the risk of her life. Come to find out, the dog she rescued was a local celebrity.

" _He'll watch your back better than any man ever could,"_ Dutch had said over the radio.

He was right. Boomer listened well and was trained to handle most situations, so it was no wonder why so many people admired him. It was only by luck that she came across him and she would still swear it was too good to be true. As a K-9 handler, it was second nature that her dog was the best teammate she could have.

Now, Boomer wasn't the same as _her_ dog, Tango, but he was a good substitute. She did hate how she couldn't take him with her as much as she would like in Henbane. As the Bliss was overpowering for her senses, it was damaging to his. Luckily, now that she had successfully brought back the Marshal, she was free to pursue another region in hopes of getting Pratt or Hudson back, which meant that her trusty K9 would be able to join her. She really depended on Boomer's hearing and sense of smell to alert her to anything she was unable to detect. Whenever she didn't have her dog with her, she felt exposed in the field so it was a relief to be able to go somewhere with him again.

Now it wasn't just Boomer, Dutch, and the Sheriff that had provided some support to her. Avery had met many other people that had helped her with taking back some of the county and for this she was grateful for. The citizens may have been outnumbered but they still had a lot of grit and spunk left in their bones to fight.

Tracey Lader was tough as nails and was eager to work wherever they needed her. However Avery had found out that she was pretty hard to get along with shortly after arriving at the prison. It wasn't until the deputy burned Joseph's bible that was the turning point in their relationship. Despite risking her life for the Cougars the last few weeks, it appeared that Avery had finally earned the girl's respect once she damaged something so sacred to Eden's Gate.

After arriving at the prison and having such a blunt welcome wagon from Tracey, it was hard for Avery act civil to her. The off-handed comments and glares was something the brunette felt she didn't deserve. Especially when she was the one going out beyond the prison walls and taking back the region a little at a time. Selfish people were not ones Avery could be polite to. It didn't help either that she wasn't the type of person to put on a façade to appease others. Sensing the storm brewing between the two, the Sheriff was smart enough to pull Avery aside and explain why Tracey was that way towards her.

Apparently Tracey wasn't always on their team. She had followed Joseph's guidance and joined the peggies for a short time until people began to go missing. Her main reason to switching sides was because of Jacob Seed. The oldest brother had done something at one point that made her afraid for her life. Once she was able to make her escape from the cult, she hid away with the Cougars at the prison; it was one of the safest places in Hope County if you were against the peggies, after all. Not only that but it was far away from Jacob's region and his hunters. What he did to make her leave the cult with her tail tucked was something only Tracey knew and no one had a desire to find out about it.

To this day, she continued to fight for her place among the citizens but was constantly an outsider to someone at some point. The fact that Avery was able to come into the prison and be welcomed was what fueled the girl's jealously. It all made sense to the rookie and Avery was able to keep her sarcastic replies to herself from that point on, much to the sheriff's relief.

One of the members that did appreciate her work against Eden's Gate since the beginning was Virgil. He was the Mayor before the cult took over but was persistent in staying positive. Her heart went out to the older man and she couldn't help but humor him with his Cougar pins that he insisted everyone wear. Sheriff Whitehorse explained that Virgil had lost his son and wife to the cult after they joined Joseph instead of staying with him. It was hard to be left behind and he almost joined Eden's Gate just to be with his family but decided against it at some point. Why he didn't join was a question she knew would never be answered.

Tracey was bitter and stubborn. Virgil was positive and timid. The Sheriff really did have his hands full. Not to mention the occasional attacks by Faith's angels that only scared the citizens further. Now that Marshal Burke was back and recovering, Avery was able to work on getting the rest of the team back. It was an uphill battle but progress was still progress no matter how slow.

Picking up her rifle that was leaning next to her, she examined the condition. It was in need of a cleaning with all the shooting she had been doing. How was it that 14 months ago she was defending her country overseas and now she was fighting her own countrymen?

The world was a dark place beneath all its beauty. She never would have guessed that she would be here now, in the middle of two clashing sides that was on the brink of a civil war. The state was damn near an apocalypse scenario. The things that she heard from members of Eden's Gate and what the Cougars told her were nearly always the opposite. Faith Seed truly believed that there was something coming and what she stood for was the good of the people. Others said she lied and was evil along with the other Seed family; that the citizens are the victims in all of it.

Avery wanted to believe the Cougars and Dutch but thinking on what Sheriff Whitehorse had said in certain situations made her second guess it. Even through all of this, he still seemed like he wanted to stay neutral on the topic. She couldn't blame him as she was trying to do the same.

 _Really? Trying to stay neutral but openly attacking Eden's Gate?_ Her inner voice made a valid point.

 _I'm doing it to get my team back. Nothing more…_ she tried to tell herself. But if that was true then she wouldn't be destroying fields and books.

Her head hurt trying to think about it all. Maybe the sheriff wasn't as neutral on the subject either. He was defending the citizens and fighting the cult instead of helping her to get out of Hope County.

 _His job is to protect people. Same as yours. YOU are openly attacking the other side._

Avery clenched her jaw as she tried to pick apart everything that had happened. What was her role in this? Why was this getting more complicated than it should be?

" _You must be dizzy. So many roads to choose. What to believe? Who to trust?"_ Faith's words rang in her mind. There was some truth to what she said during all the Bliss trips and Avery hated that. Part of her wanted to kick herself for listening to what they said and the tickling of doubt was becoming evident.

" _What have you done? His words!...Don't you understand what he will do to me?"_

What did Faith mean by that? She was so loyal to the Father and Eden's Gate but she was afraid of getting in trouble after Avery burned the prophet? Then again, Faith was in charge of the region. If Major Biggs, Avery's Unit Commander, lost something important to the enemy, then the Generals would be pretty pissed too.

Faith didn't bother to hide that fact. If she was lying about how great Eden's Gate was, then wouldn't she _not_ disclose that she could be punished?

Avery shook her head, hoping to rid herself of the thoughts. She just had to get her team free and nothing else.

Sighing, she dropped her head. These two weeks were taking a lot out of her. Her muscle's ached and she wasn't eating regular meals. There was a lot of travelling and though there was vehicles for her to use, it didn't do well for stealth. And it was stealth that she relied on when out alone.

Deciding to keep her mind busy and to talk to Sheriff Whitehorse, she began her walk around the wall to the stairs. It didn't take her long to find him inside. He was just stepping out of the Medical bay that she had been staying in after her last Bliss trip. The brunette adjusted her rifle strap on her shoulder and offered a smile when her green eyes met his.

"Hey, Rook. How are ya feeling," he asked while returning the smile and closing the door behind him. Avery didn't miss how he had bags under his eyes and his movement was sluggish. She knew he was exhausted.

"Besides a headache still, I'd say I'm good." She paused as she turned around and fell into step beside him. "Did you not get any sleep again last night?"

He gave a half shrug before opening the door to the outside for her. Despite just coming from outside, she stepped through to the yard once again.

"Been worried about you and Burke. He has been under Bliss for over two weeks and I'm afraid it may have scrambled his mind too much."

"While I can't speak for Burke, you know you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine," Avery replied stubbornly. It was true that the marshal was not recovering as fast but for a good reason. She just hoped that he would be able to make a recovery.

"Don't give me the tough guy act. I don't even know how you both made it back here in one piece." His tone was firm but from the sideways glance and shift in his mustache, she knew he was amused.

Turning serious for a moment, Avery asked the heavy question on her mind. "How is Burke doing?"

Whitehorse rubbed the back of his, trying to relieve some tightness. "He's… He's trying to take it slow. Was pretty pissed at you when he first came too. But," he drawled out, "I think that was all the Bliss talking."

Avery furrowed her brows. "You don't seem so sure about that."

The older man let his arm drop to his side. "A part of me isn't," he admitted. "But I know I wasn't exactly pleasant coming out of Bliss either. Give it time and he should come around."

'Should' wasn't a word Avery cared much for but given the circumstances, she supposed it was the best that could be given.

A few moments of silence passed as she walked with him through the yard. Some of the weeds in the cement path were beginning to grow thick from the rains and it made Avery think of abandoned buildings that were long forgotten. She wondered briefly if there would ever be peace back in the region.

Deciding to break the silence, Whitehorse questioned, "Do you still not remember how you and Burke got here?"

Both stopped as he turned to face her. She pondered on if for a moment before she couldn't meet his gaze any longer. Looking away from her boss's sharp eyes, she realized they were back at the prison's outer wall. The corner tower leered overhead as it casted a shadow over them as if trying to listen in. A middle aged man with a baseball cap and bandana around his neck nodded to them as he walked by, doing his rounds. Whitehorse returned the nod before looking back expectantly to Avery.

The young brunette was shorter then him. Shorter than even Hudson by a couple inches but despite her looks, she was tough. He could remember reading through the resumes three months ago and almost passing her over to hire someone else. It was her military background and capability that brought him back to her file. Experience in the field was something he personally favored over those that were book-smart. Anyone could study to pass a test but if you didn't know how to apply that knowledge than you were a liability. To this day, he felt like he made the best decision and it was proven every day they were out there at Hope County.

"No. Last I remember, Burke and I were in a boat during the Bliss trip and he was talking about how he was…"

 _Happy_ … She shook her head as she avoided getting into the details of what they talked about.

"When we got out, he was leading the way to the gates and I was trying to keep up. Part of me was just following and the other was trying to reach him… to stop him."

She closed her eyes and took a breath. If she would have just followed him through the gates, would she be stuck with him in the Bliss? Fear from that thought began to claw at her ribs but she pushed it down again. She hated going under Bliss. She hated not having control and feeling like she was trapped inside her body.

"I remember Faith yelling at me to leave him alone and when I finally was able to grab him, everything became black and I saw flashes of what was happening in reality. I remember driving a beat up truck down the road and peggies shooting at us. Then everything was black. Then stumbling across asphalt while dragging Burke and then hitting the ground. I don't remember anything else."

Whitehorse sighed as he dropped his gaze. "I'm not surprised you don't remember. Just surprised you were able to have enough will over your body to get back."

The conversation was troubling to her. She didn't know if it was like a blackout after drinking too much or if she really had been fighting through Bliss the entire time.

The older man patted her shoulder, jerking her from getting too deep in thought. "Come with me."

Avery followed him as he climbed the ladder to the top of the wall and around to the front of the prison where a couple vehicles were parked. Two were in usable condition while the rest was twisted metal that was littered with bullet holes and scorch marks from prior battles. The Sheriff walked up to a couple guards who were in deep conversation until they saw the two Officers approach.

They stood up suddenly and grabbed their rifles close to them. Avery smirked at that. It was the same reaction she had seen in the military when members were slacking off during their shift and she knew the motion didn't get by the sheriff.

"Sir—we were just," the young man stumbled over his words as he tried to explain.

"Relax, Keith," Whitehorse greeted kindly at the young couple. "Just checking in to see how things were fairing."

Avery rolled her eyes at his back. He was being a lot nicer about it than she would have been. Those who stood guard needed to pay attention during their shift. If it was alright for everyone to slack off then why have a guard to begin with?

Looking the couple over, she noted that they were close to her age, possible younger. The girl had a green flannel and white t-shirt with a smiley face staring back. Her blonde hair was just above her shoulders and had the build of a model.

Her companion reflected the typical ideal college student with sandy brown hair that was longer than she felt he normally kept it. His hands were untrained as he held the gun at an awkward angle while he stood nervously next to the girl.

"Everything is good. We just took a seat to rest our legs," Keith explained.

The sheriff hummed as he looked out to the wreckage of vehicles from past attacks. "Don't get complacent out here. You never know who could be watching from the tree line."

Keith nodded his head in understanding but the girl spoke up. "You really think someone would be watching us? Why not just attack?"

The question was innocent enough but Avery narrowed her eyes at the slight hint of attitude the girl gave off.

"Because if someone sees that you two just sit on a wall and make-out during your shift than they know the ideal time _to_ attack."

The sheriff smiled again and raised up one of his hands to keep anyone from saying anything further.

"Carla, this is Avery, my deputy. Avery, Carla," he introduced.

Carla's blue eyes widened slightly as she exchanged looks with Keith. "You're the deputy who got the Marshal from the Bliss? I didn't know! That was awesome the way you rescued him!"

"Tracey said you burned one of Joseph's bibles too! I'm surprised you are still alive after that."

Avery was slightly taken aback from their reaction. Judging by the sheriff's now cocky smile, she realized he did that on purpose to take some steam away from her lecture. She resisted rolling her eyes again and responded to the couple.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too."

"The next time you go out, I would like to join you," Keith offered.

Carla gave him a glare and he smiled sheepishly at her. "I told you it was dangerous out there. I don't want you going and getting killed."

"Babe, I know but…," he motioned to the deputy as if that was enough of a reason. "It's _the_ _Deputy_. I would be fine. Besides, you know I told you I wanted to do something other than guard the gates."

"Like get killed?"

Keith opened his mouth to respond but Avery cut him off. "Look, I'm flattered you have a high opinion of me but I probably kicked the hornet's nest after burning the book. I think I should lay low for a while before venturing out."

The older man chuckled beside her. "I have to agree with that. Why don't you two take a break and get some food. We will watch your post for you."

Carla flashed a bright smile as she all but dragged Keith behind her. "Nice meeting you!"

Avery watched unamused as the two retreated down to get breakfast. "Yeah… pleasure." Turning back to the Sheriff, she crossed her arms.

"You need to hold them accountable. Especially now."

He looked over his glasses at her as if to say _'really?_ ' "You need to know not everyone functions like you."

"You're right… It's a shame."

This earned another chuckle from him. "So what are your plans now?"

Avery stepped beside him as they looked out at the road. "Well…. I was going to ask you that question, honestly."

Whitehorse gave her a sideways glance but didn't say anything.

"With the Marshal back, I figured we could all head back to Holland Valley or Whitetail Mountains to get the others. Obviously, we will have to wait for him to recover first."

The older man looked back to the road and he thought over what she said. It made sense why she wanted to get the others but he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Faith was using her talents to control both him and the Marshal. If it wasn't for Tracey, he would still be in the Bliss.

Most recently, Faith was controlling both Burke and Avery but with both free, would Faith be stronger? Now she would be able to use her Bliss with her full concentration on Avery if she got caught again. The fact that Avery barely made it out last time was unnerving to him. He wasn't willing to risk her becoming Faith's puppet for their sake.

"Burke's condition is still uncertain," he said carefully. "You really stirred the cult up this time and I have a feeling they will be out to get you once you step a foot outside these walls."

"They have been out to get me since we left the helicopter," Avery corrected. "That doesn't change the fact that we need to get Hudson and Pratt back."

"And if we get them back, then what do you plan to do?" He was facing her now with one hand on the wall and the other resting on his holster.

Avery was caught off guard by his firm response but she stood her ground. "Then we do whatever we need to. Get more back-up or call in the National Guard. I don't care what we do right now. I just want our team back."

Her boss sighed and turned back to the wall. Avery watched him a moment more before turning back to watch the tree line. The sheriff was not being very receptive of her ideas and she wondered why he was hesitant to get their team back. She knew he wasn't against rescuing the others but he wasn't joining in either.

"Before you came to get me, a bit ago, I was checking in with Burke. He's not in good shape but he was awake and talking. It seems like all that arrogant fire he had before has been snuffed out and he is just a shell of what he once was. I really hope he can make it out of this as a full recovery but it will take time. I'm sure you can agree that a gunfight is the last thing he needs."

Avery stayed quiet as she listened to him. She knew he had a point about it but she didn't like the idea of them splitting up.

After not receiving a reply, Whitehorse continued. "I plan on staying back and watching over him and the Cougars here. If you want to go out and rescue the others then I advise getting to Holland valley as soon as possible."

At this, the 28 year old shook her head. "That's where I disagree. We need to stay together. I can wait until Burke recovers and then we can go to the valley together—"

"And what if Hudson can't hold out any longer against John? What if she ends up losing her life?"

"Why do _you_ have to be the one that stays with Burke? Tracey and Virgil are here. I'm sure they can manage him on their own!"

"Because _I_ was the one that had been under for so long. They never went under or know the effects that Bliss can have on you." He exhaled a heavy sign as he dropped his head.

Avery could feel her irritation grow but forced herself to relax her tense muscles. She could feel her headache throb harder at her temple and the pain now stretched behind her eye.

After a tense silence, Whitehorse spoke up in a drained tone. "Rook, I'm old. I should be retired right now and yet I am here dealing with this. If anyone is going to get Hudson and Pratt, it's you. And if you fail… well they are as good as theirs anyway if you wait here for Burke to recover."

Avery still didn't like the idea even if he had made a valid point. "I can still travel at your pace. If we do it right, we can avoid gunfights and—"

"It's been two weeks. _Two weeks_ , Avery." Whitehorse stared at her with cold eyes. "I don't even know if Pratt is still alive but Dutch says Hudson somehow is. Says John had broadcasted her two days ago over the television while you were rescuing Burke. She's not going to make it much longer."

That gnawing fear was back in Avery's ribs and was stronger now. Why was John broadcasting Hudson? Was this more cult propaganda? How bad of condition was she in that made the sheriff doubt her life expectancy?

"Not only that but Faith won't be holding back any longer. You are in danger and if you stay here, I know they will come for you."

And put everyone here at risk…. She knew what he was getting at even though he didn't say it. "I don't like this. Separating is a stupid idea. What if Faith attacks here and captures you and Burke while I'm gone?"

Whitehorse snorted at her worrying over them. "I'm old, Rook. Not useless. You need to stop thinking with your emotions and just focus on doing what you do best."

Despite the heavy topic, Avery smiled and rolled her eyes. "That's the most military thing you have said since I have known you."

"Well I figured that's the only way to get through to your stubborn self."

"Hmm. You're learning."

Both looked out at the road again, each in their own thoughts. Avery knew thinking about 'what ifs' was just going to cause more issues and delays but she wanted to be prepared for anything. However, if Hudson really was in bad condition, then she needed to get her out of John's grasps as soon as possible. The fact that nothing was heard about Pratt didn't sit well with her either. Two weeks was a long time but only averaging one person a week was too slow of progress. She would have to get with Dutch to see if he had heard anything about Pratt in the Whitetail Mountains.

"I don't like it… but I will go. Before I do, I need to get the ingredients for Dr. Lindesy. He thinks there is a way to make bait that will attract the Angels to one spot. It would be the easiest way to destroy them. I would feel better if you guys had that here while I am gone. Hopefully it will help holding them off if they attack again. Then I will go after Hudson." She didn't leave any room to argue.

"I have a feeling that this is the best we can get at negotiating..."

After only receiving a smile, he sighed. "Alright but you should leave as soon as possible."

Hearing a giggle from the courtyard behind them, she knew their time was up. Carla and Keith were coming back to their post.

"No worries. I'll head out today," she reassured, missing the sheriffs worried glance at the tree line as she turned to greet the smiling couple.

 **Sorry for the late update. I had to rewrite this chapter a dozen times. It just kept getting away from me!**

 **Thank you again for the reviews and follows! I made this chapter longer to make up for the wait. Already working on the next chapter so hope you look forward to it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! Thank you for the reviews so far! Love hearing from the readers!**

 **Thank you for continuing with my story. I know this is a Jacob and OC fic and nothing has happened yet but it is building up to it I promise. It won't happen right away but it will. There is just character development that I am building between our Junior Deputy and the other family members before Jacob finally meets her.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Far Cry.**

Avery took one last look at her surroundings and bent down to the ground where she had laid her small canvas satchel. Pushing her rifle behind her on the sling, she opened the top of the satchel and retrieved the item in it; a quart size Zip-lock bag full of meat steeping in a marinade of dark blood. Her nose wrinkled as she bent over a boulder and dumped the bag on the stone surface. The air smelled sour suddenly and she wished the bandana around her lower face was stronger to block the Bliss flowers and the smell of the meat.

Leaving the plastic bag at the base of the rock, she closed up her satchel and turned towards her escape route. Avery kept low as she darted through the Bliss field back to the safety of the tree line and away from the Peggies' compound. The familiar dizzy sensation seemed to follow her after she left the plantation and she hoped the breeze would blow it off sooner than later; her headache still was lingering from earlier that morning and she wasn't looking forward to another day of it. Once she arrived back at her chosen tree and bush, she sidled down underneath until she knew she wouldn't be spotted.

Deciding now was the best time to adjust so she would be comfortable, she pulled her bag and rifle into her lap, knowing if she needed something then it would be either of those two things. From this area, she was able to keep her distance while watching the results of Dr. Lindsey's experiment. It wasn't long, with the putrid meat in the air, to attract some of the Angels in the area. Once it did, they were quick to rush the boulder, parting the flowers like sharks to a kill. Before reaching the boulder, however, they all came to a stop about ten feet away.

Avery crouched under the brush to see better and watched with furrowed brows. One of the Angels eyed the bag, then began to move closer.

 _Perhaps it's going to work after all_ , she thought.

There were a few others that began to push forward towards the meat but they seemed more interested in crowding the first Angel then actually getting the bait. A moment passed as they seemed to get closer and closer before they turned away, losing any desire to investigate the meat further.

"Or not work, whatever," she deadpanned. Instead, they began to search the area in a frenzy pack-like action. If she had to guess, she figured they were now looking for her.

It wasn't clear about which part alerted them to the change in their field but Avery was pretty certain it was the lack of scent on the bait. This one had a foul, sour scent that was different than the previous rancid meat that made the air smell like a stale slaughter house. It was enough to catch their attention but not enough to hold it. After the Angels began their hunt for the culprit that left the bait, it got the attention of the few cultist nearby.

These were the ones with a sound enough mind that could cause problems for the deputy. Jade eyes watched as a few peggies patrolled around the field, hoping to find some trace of the intruder's trail, now knowing it was most likely the deputy that caused the restlessness.

This didn't cause her to worry.

She was quick with placing the bait and leaving before she caught the drug induced, psychos' attention. Even in her swiftness she was careful enough to not leave any hints to her route and location.

After the second failure for the bait concoction, she was feeling defeated. Dr. Lindsey was becoming less and less positive over the outcome of the bait, that now, she couldn't justify waiting for a new product. Not to mention she made the deal with Whitehorse that after this little detour, she would leave the region.

Scooting back until she was leaning against the tree, she pulled her bag closer to her so she could get the deer jerky out. _Might as well eat and enjoy the show_.

Tearing into the tough piece, she watched a truck pull up along the roadside with a gunner in the back. She shifted slightly and her hand came down slowly to touch the comforting grip of her rifle as she watched the scene unfold. There was some shouting between them and those that were walking the outskirts of the field before the truck sped off down the road; the interruption was a minor nuisance to the Angels as they barely looked in the direction of the truck while still searching for her trail.

"They are a mindless bunch," she murmured to herself. There was something about the animalistic way that they moved and attacked that unnerved her. The fact that they were so doped up that bullet wounds hardly slowed them down was not something she liked going against. Especially when the bullets tore through organs and flesh, leaving the wound to be fatal and they _still_ got back up to attack her.

That being said, it didn't set well with her to leave the Prison without some form of protection for the civilians against these zombie-like creatures. The sheriff on the other hand didn't think much of it. Even when she argued over the extra ammunition that they had to go through just to stop the Angels, he merely shrugged and explained that was the reason for the higher caliber rifles. There wasn't much she could do to sway his opinion.

 _I should probably let them know that this was a bust too…_

Taking one more bite of the jerky, she pulled out the radio and waited until she finished chewing. Watching the field for a moment longer, it seemed the peggies were beginning to give up the search for her trail. The Angels were not so reluctant.

Swallowing, she began her call back to the Prison. "Hey Sheriff. I have some news."

Letting off the button, she waited for a couple seconds before the radio in her hand came to life. "What happened, Rook?"

"The experiment was another bust."

There was a moment of silence on the other end and she wondered if he was feeling as defeated as she was or perhaps he had a feeling it wasn't going to work the entire time. At least he wasn't the type to say 'I told you so' if that was the case.

"Can you get Dr. Lindsey on?" she asked after not getting a response.

"Sure, kid," he answered. "Hold on."

Avery waited while taking another bite of jerky. She was really tired of eating the same thing the past few days. There wasn't much she could do about it unless she stumbled upon a cache or looted an abandoned building. With the tunnels and roads blocked into the county, they couldn't get food unless they took a plane. There was the option of taking some food from the Prison, which had been offered many times to her, but she knew they would need it with the more people they took in.

"H-hello? This is uh-this is Doctor Lindsey speaking."

Avery rolled her eyes at his awkward greeting. "Hey Doc. Your bait didn't work. In fact, it was worse than the first time."

"Oh… oh that's not good… maybe I didn't put enough of… no that can't be it. I must be missing an ingredient…." She could hear him rummaging around through what she assumed was his desk. "Uh. How did they react to this bait?"

Avery looked out at the field once again and saw that the Angels seemed to calm down a bit. Hopefully another ten minutes they would not be searching for her and she could take her leave.

"Well," she drawled out. "The bait got their attention enough to rush to the area but they stopped about ten feet away from it. Sniffed around a bit and then started looking for me."

"Hmm… maybe your scent was left on the bait. Or the bait wasn't strong enough to hide yours…"

Avery gave a mock glare at the radio in her hand as if he would be able to see it from where she was. "I know you aren't hinting that I smell… because I would have to kick your ass if you were."

"N-no, no that's not it! I was just saying that I probably didn't make it strong enough. I can make another batch and we can see if that—"

"No, sir," Whitehorse interrupted. "Avery is already risking too much being out there."

There was a split second pause before the sheriff continued. "You head on out now. You know what needs to be done."

Though Avery was expecting it, she couldn't help but feel defeated all over again. She really had wanted to aid them with something that could help the fight against the Peggies but all she did was end up wasting time. "Right. I'll let you know when I make it over."

"Take care, Rook."

Avery let her hand fall into her lap and her head hit the tree behind her. The wasted trip was not how she wanted to start off after leaving the prison. Now she had to make her way to John's region which would put her there late that evening or early morning. Not to mention that it hadn't been the plan to leave straight from the experiment so she hadn't pack enough food to get her by. The travel there wouldn't be too much of an issue but now she was traveling in new territory. She would have to ask Dutch where some safe places were too. And what about Boomer?

She had planned on going back to the prison to at least retrieve him and have him help get Hudson back. Whitehorse would be pissed if she went all the way back for the dog. She wouldn't hear the end of it let alone want to hear about how she was wasting more time. Perhaps she would be able to ask if he could send someone to Holland Valley with Boomer after she got settled in at a safe location.

Deciding that would be the best way, she brought up the radio to talk. Clicking the button, she heard the familiar static followed by silence signaling to speak. "Hey, Sheriff—"

A leg suddenly came into view between the branches in front of her. Her heart leapt to her throat and she quickly shut off the radio so no one trying to reach her would give away her position. Curious with who stood before her, she cautiously leaned over to catch a glimpse at two Angels breathing heavily as they tossed their heads to either side, clearly looking for something. Green eyes widened and the familiar adrenaline dump in her veins caused her to tighten her grip on her rifle.

The fumes of Bliss was now apparent as the breeze rustled the shrub that concealed her. Both creatures lifted their heads to smell the air from the breeze but luckily her scent was mixed with the brush and forest floor. The one further away took a few steps forward while dragging a shovel and grunting. It looked like it had a wounded ankle but it was common knowledge that it wouldn't slow the Angel down if she gave chase. Avery could feel her fingertips tingle in anticipation of a fight. However, being so close to the compound and a main road, it would be stupid to start shooting.

Fortunately for the deputy, the Angel with the shovel began walking away followed by the _ting-ting_ of the metal shovel bouncing off rocks in the grass.

The other Angel was not leaving, though.

A growl left its throat while it took another step towards her location; interspersed with short, breathy snorts that could have been mistaken for some other noise from nature if Avery wasn't so familiar with it. It was the noise they made when they were tracking something, especially when tracking by smell. Seeing it made every muscle in Avery's body stiffen.

 _Did the radio chatter attract it? How did I not hear it approach? Did it smell me?_

Looking down Avery saw the only thing that could have made sense. _Damn my luck._ Her frown deepened, knowing her rations were slim as it was already and throwing out the deer jerky was one of the last things she wanted to do. Weighing the options, common sense said the left over jerky was not as valuable as the ammo she would use if she decided to shoot her way out of there. _Well fuck…_

The Angel took another step and Avery knew she was out of options. Tossing the bag away, she watched as it skidded over the grass before spilling out the contents next to the Angel's feet. The drugged-up girl spun quickly at the object, revealing a hammer in her right hand.

 _Time for work._ Avery watched as the Angel pulled the mask down and began to tear hungrily at the jerky on the ground. Gripping the handle of her knife strapped at her ankle, she stalked up behind the Angel while it was distracted. The nerves she would get whenever she was in a gunfight returned but her entire focus was on the target in front of her. She knew she only had a few seconds before her window of opportunity was up.

Everything seemed to slow down.

Bringing up the blade, she angled it just right at the base of the Angel's skull. Avery couldn't help but think about her thin neck, the fragile vertebrae just underneath her skin; such a weak defense for the spinal column now that she thought about it.

Knowing that she was nearly out of time, she gave one solid shove of her blade, feeling the tip pushed into the vertebrae and the Angel going limp as all control from the brain was severed.

Avery plucked the knife from the back of the woman's head before rushing back to gather her items. She didn't have time to stick around after that mishap. A part of her thought about hiding the body but logic said she observed all she could from the experiment.

Now it was time to clear out, put as much distance between her and Henbane as she could.

* * *

The sun had long disappeared over the mountain tops, casting a shadow over the valley. It had been a few hours since Avery left the Bliss field where she had the failed experiment. Besides avoiding a few Peggies driving around the area, most likely doing their daily rounds, the travel was overall uneventful. It was during one of these eluding times that she wished Boomer was by her side. Though it was a simple task to stay out of the line of sight of vehicles, the Peggies on foot were another story. She hadn't thought about it much at the time, honestly forgetting that she left with a broken message to the Sheriff, but now was as good a time as any to let him know she was alright.

Unfortunately she wasn't prepared for a lecture when she finally reached out to her boss. In all reality, she should have expected it, should have known he wouldn't be too pleased with her shutting off all communication like that when he knew she was in enemy territory.

Now Avery found herself staring up at the sky with an impassive look on her face. She didn't register the evening stars or clouds, just merely looked on while he chastised her.

"Enough with the damn dog already, I said we would," Whitehorse reiterated over the radio in a huff. "You will have your dog when you find a safe spot in Holland Valley _. Now_ can you promise not to wait so long after cutting the radio to let us know you are okay?"

Looking back at the radio in hand she knew he was right. Shutting off their conversation in midsentence, for six hours _was_ a valid reason to be upset.

"Yes. I will try not to forget to reply sooner next time."

There was a pause as she waited for the Sheriff to reply. She couldn't help but wonder if he was expecting something else.

"I'm sorry for leaving you in the dark about it," she added. "It was stupid of me to not let you know."

"Its fine, Rook," he answered. She smiled at that, realizing her apology was just what he wanted to hear. "Just be careful. We thought something had happened for sure this time."

A string of guilt pulled at Avery. She hadn't meant to make him worry. It really had slipped her mind when her main priority was to just get out of the plantation before someone saw her.

"You worry too much, which kinda explains all that grey hair. You should know by now that I'm _always_ careful."

There was a scoff from Whitehorse. "I would beg to differ."

Avery smiled again at their banter. She was glad he at least had a sense of humor despite worrying for the last few hours. Though it was a nice break from all the seriousness, she knew she had some questions on her mind that she wanted to ask. Travelling on her own in silence gave her a lot of time to think about things. "How's Burke holding up? And has there been any news on Hudson?"

Another pause.

"Burke is… he's hanging in there. Trying to sleep off his migraine right now. Haven't heard anything on Hudson yet. Not since the broadcast two days ago."

No news.

No news on Hudson.

That at least meant that she was alive or else they would have heard about it by now….

But that wasn't necessarily true.

Avery was used to enemies that broadcasted their kills. But here in Montana, she wasn't against her normal enemies. The cult didn't want to murder people. They wanted to convert them. Can't broadcast a killing if you are trying to get people to join.

That's just bad advertisement.

On another note, if Hudson was viewed as a liability, then the cult members would surely rally for her death. From what she had seen so far, they didn't have much against killing those that didn't side with them and 'see the truth'.

Sighing, she knew there wasn't much she could do by thinking about 'what ifs'. The only one with the answers was John and that wasn't someone she was excited to meet face-to-face with.

"Well, if you hear anything, let me know. I'm not too far out from Holland Valley. I'll let you know when I get there."

"Sooner you get there the sooner I'll send someone with Boomer."

Avery laughed. "Are you bribing me with the dog to leave?"

"That seems to be the only way to get you out of here. Been trying since this morning."

"Fair enough. I'll be in touch."

The older man chuckled. "Take care."

Avery clipped the radio on her belt and proceeded down the hill. The moon was now appearing from behind the mountains, only leaving the small patch of color in the clouds. It was a cooler night and the temperature drop was apparent within the last twenty minutes. She was glad to have brought her black jacket with her instead of leaving it behind at the prison. The warmth it provided was a bit of comfort during her trip across the region.

The deputy didn't mind traveling alone even though she was used to having someone with her, whether it was her team, or her dog. However the silence allowed her to reflect and think without the constant need for conversation. Perhaps she found comfort in moving across the terrain because it was familiar. She wasn't delivering inmates or sitting behind a desk. She was out in the night with the slight ache in the wrist from holding the rifle at a low ready. The tension that wound all the way in her legs as she moved across the dry, crackling leaves, always softly planting the heel, then rolling on the outside, steadily to the balls of her feet. Ears attuned to every sound.

 _Nice to know I still got it._

Pleased at to see that she still had the edge to her stealth skills, Avery gave a soft chuckle as she began to walk normally; the crunching of the leaves becoming apparent as she made her way to a game trail. As she pushed through a patch of dense foliage, her thoughts began to wander to Hudson again.

What was her plan once she got to Holland Valley? She couldn't just show up at John's location and demand for Joey back. She didn't even know where his location was let alone where they had her companion.

Then came the question for Joey's wellbeing. Burke was dealing with a scrambled brain right now but John didn't rely on Bliss. Avery didn't know what methods John used to convert his followers besides preaching and propaganda. Dutch had mentioned he was a sadist but did that mean he relied on torture?

Surely John _'The Baptist'_ wouldn't dabble with crude means to convert someone with that type of name. Then again, 'sadist' wasn't a common title to slap on someone who didn't deserve it to some degree.

The thought of John torturing Hudson didn't set too well with Avery. She wasn't saying that her counterpart couldn't handle torture but they sure as hell weren't trained for it.

 _She can handle it. Joey is tough and strong-willed. John won't break her._

A weight seemed to settle in her chest.

 _Joey is tough… She might be beat down a bit but she is alright. John can't break her will._

The weight seemed to become heavier and she could feel the anxiety start to return.

 _She's tough…. John can't… She's fine._

Avery stopped suddenly as she looked out at the Henbane river that was now in sight.

 _Then why do I feel like I am underestimating John? Why do I feel like I'm only lying to myself?_

The glistening water was just down the hill, across a road and down an embankment. Seeing it made her force a deep breath to steady her thoughts.

 _I'll get my answers soon enough. Stop dwelling on it._

She began her trek down the hill once again, trying to force the images of Joey being tortured at the back of her mind. No matter how many times she tried to mentally push the image away, it seemed to just sneak back again.

 _I wonder who I will meet over there. I'm sure Dutch has some good contacts for me,_ she pondered, finally forcing Joey away from her thoughts as she all but pulled a new topic to the forefront of her focus.

 _Hopefully they have food… I'm starving for a burger right now. A beer would be amazing too. I really need a drink._ Oh she hoped they could give her just that! She was tired of gamey deer jerky and water.

The sound of branches snapping to her left tore her attention from her thoughts. Jade eyes widened as a beast of fur ripped through the trees, emitting a petrifying roar as it charged straight towards her.

"Shit!" Avery brought her rifle up as she backpedaled away from the enraged grizzly bear.

Throwing the switch to burst, she let loose three rounds into the giant of a bear as she tried to control the panic. A round grazed the bear's shoulder, a second in its neck and the last in-bedded in its face. Avery was prepared to release another three rounds when suddenly the grizzly poofed into a dreaded Bliss cloud.

The feeling of dismay only increased as two Angels emerged from the fog like substance ready to kill her. The three rounds she was prepared to use on the grizzly, she turned on the closest angel, this time bringing the barrel of her gun in a vertical wave as it spit out the bullets. The ammo impaled the first Angel's stomach, chest and neck, similar to the grizzly illusion seconds ago. And just like the bear, it too disappeared into a cloud.

A whoosh of wind grazed her left cheek, pulling her attention to the last Angel. Taking the split second to look behind her, Avery saw that a hammer had been thrown at her and had nearly made contact with her face.

Gritting her teeth, she looked back just in time to see the Angel reach her claw-like nails at her to tear into her skin. Not being able to raise her barrel in close combat, Avery decided to swing her rifle around, smashing the butt of her gun into the Angel's temple.

This caused her to stumble back from the force before she charged back at the deputy with vengeance, screaming out an aggressive cry.

Throwing her rifle behind her on the sling, Avery pulled out her 9mm and shot off another three rounds just as the Angel was two feet in front of her.

The Angel fell back onto the ground lifeless after the shots to the chest. But Avery wasn't taking any chances. Breathing hard from the surprise attack, the brunette stepped over the Angel just as she began to stir to life again. Narrowing her eyes, Avery let off one last round into her temple, knowing she wouldn't come back from that.

"Fucking hell."

She ejected her magazine to check her rounds, counted the last 3 bullets left before putting the magazine back in place. Placing her pistol back in its holster, she brought her rifle around to the front and set the safety. Forcing a shaky breath to steady herself, she looked back at the Angel that lay at her feet.

"Why do you have to be like that? I was just trying to walk out of here and mind my own business. Fucking grizzly bear-really?! Had to be a bear?" Taking another shaky breath, she ran her hand through her hair before shaking her head. "A lot of good that did you, huh?"

The corpse only lay motionless at her feet, unresponsive.

 _Should probably get out of here. That was sure to have attracted someone's attention._

Turning around, Avery nearly jumped out of her skin.

Honey colored hair, light eyes, white dress…

"Hello Avery," the sweet voice greeted.

The deputy reached for her pistol but Faith was already prepared. Pollen from the Bliss flowers were blown into Avery's face before she could even withdraw her gun. The world converted to a spinning top and her vision became more blurry, like getting out of a highly chlorinated pool. Losing balance and control, Avery landed on her back with a thud. The night sky hung over her like a dark cobalt ceiling and her thoughts began to shift to the fevered like consistency as she tried to figure out what happened.

 _I let my guard down. I don't want to go back to the Bliss… I shouldn't have let my guard down… Stupid!... How…It was a trap… I don't want to go back..._

Faith came into Avery's line of vision as she did all she could to focus on the real world.

"Silly, why would you want to leave my home? We were just starting to make progress."

Avery could feel her grip on reality slipping. The Bliss fog was closing in on her and the sky above her was becoming the only clear thing left in her vision. Like she was descending into the ocean, staring up at the dwindling brightness of the surface waters.

"You have been invited into our home… into our hearts."

From the corner of her vision, Avery noticed the foot of the Angel she had just killed and in her delusional state, she realized how ironic it was that she was now in the same position with Faith standing over her.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

 _I don't want to go back._

* * *

Light-headed and dizzy. The familiar sensation hit her as she opened her eyes to find herself lying on the ground. The forest was not the same as where she had just been in moments ago but she knew where she was.

In Faith's realm.

Rolling over, she pushed herself to her feet, knowing there wasn't anyway she could force herself out of the dream-like reality _. I just need to stay away from the gates. Don't get stuck in here, Avery. You're stronger than this…_

 _Please don't let me get stuck in here._

Fear was pumping through her veins as she steadied herself. She couldn't get stuck in here. She refused to become like Burke.

Walking forward, she saw a large tree in the distance. A small blossom of relief settled in as she realized there were no gates in sight. A few butterflies fluttered across her path as she continued towards the tree, partially out of curiosity and partly because there was that all too conversant pull that she couldn't resist. As she made her way through the field, she could see the feminine figure dancing at the end of her path.

Faith.

Avery tried to stop, not wanting to confront the siren who put her back in this place, but her legs wouldn't obey her.

 _Stop moving!_ She tried to use her anger at the situation to give her strength over her body but it all seemed like wasted energy. There was little control here in this world.

"Even those who fight against us seek salvation, Avery." Faith must have seen Avery struggling for control as she quickly appeared in front of her. Encasing the deputy's gloved hands in hers, she gave a light squeeze that offered comforting. "You're proof of that… we all need guidance in times like these. You took Burke away from his family but you didn't know what you were doing. You thought you were helping him. But now you will understand."

Turning away, she pulled Avery towards the base of the tree where she saw a group of people sitting around one man in particular. Like a crashing wall, it all made sense what Faith said.

The Father stood before her with his dark denim jeans and no shirt so he could proudly display his macabre carvings. He was preaching to those that sat at his feet, drinking in every word while Avery tried with all her will to gain control over her body.

Faith's hands on hers tightened soothingly as she turned to whisper to the stressed deputy. "Now you'll see. Now you'll truly understand what I have been trying to show you."

 _But I don't want to see,_ her mind screamed. She was about to protest to Faith but the weight of someone's attention made her pause.

Green eyes looked back to the circle and saw Joseph peering through his yellow aviators at her. His full consideration was on her, triggering her heart to pound harder in her chest.

"Because those on the outside will see what we have built here together, in our New Eden… and they will come." His voice was calm and soothing as he addressed his followers. Faith stepped by his side and they exchanged a small nod before the heavy eyes of the Father turned to Avery once again.

"And they will try to take from us all that we have built." He began to walk towards her planted form.

 _I'm not taking anything except my friends,_ she tried to say but her words were stuck in her throat as the Father stepped closer.

The inkling of being the prey hit her once again and she hated the feeling, but try as she might, she couldn't shake the sensation. With no control over her own body, she was at the mercy of Joseph Seed in this realm. Within moments, he stood only a foot in front of her and he looked down upon her with his intense gaze, drinking in everything that she was.

Avery swallowed as fear began to swell in her belly from the man in front of her. She hadn't given it much thought before as to her feelings for Joseph Seed. After the Helicopter crash and his threatening words, she tried to focus on only her team members. If she was being completely honest with herself, she would admit that she hoped she would never meet him face to face again.

Something about him was off to her and there was a fear of him that she wasn't keen on admitting to, there was a power to his presence that she had never seen in anyone else. His gaze was always solid and intense like his company and she could only wonder how crazy he may actually be. Him being a few sheets to the wind seemed like an understatement.

"You judge me. You judge us," his voice was low but there was the calming tone to it. The idea of it being possible to read her mind in the Bliss startled her but she filed it away for later thinking, knowing there wasn't anything she could do about it now if that was the case. "You judge the things that we have done…"

He set his hands onto her shoulders and she jumped at the contact. There was a shadow of movement at the corner of his lips and Avery wondered if he was amused by her reaction. The thought irritated her and she hoped her fear wasn't broadcasting as she felt it might be.

 _Get ahold of yourself._

Embracing her frustrations, she found her voice but her will over her body was not strong enough to pull away from Joseph. "You and your following have committed crimes. You can't pretend to be innocent."

Being in such close proximity, Avery could still make out the deep blue eyes that observed her from the yellow lenses. There was amusement dancing behind the glasses as he had expected her outburst.

"No one is truly innocent to begin with. But there is a power that we follow. A path that is set forth that we tread across. You too, walk across this path but you do not see it," he replied serenely. "We have atoned for our sins and thus see the truth. The choice is up to you whether you will fight against it or open your mind to what is really happening."

Avery furrowed her brows and she could feel the Father's hands tighten on her shoulders. It was more of a reassuring pressure then trying to inflict pain so she decided to push her luck.

"You're delusional. I'm not walking any path. Just trying to get my team back that _you_ took from me."

Joseph shook his head, a small, knowing smirk curled his lips. The grip on her shoulders tightened to inflict pain and Avery wondered why that pushed him to react, however, she had enough sense to keep her mouth shut.

"You can deny it all you want but you have a purpose here. I am here to show you. To give you the choice of following a higher calling that will impact the world as we know it. Sinners and no believers say that I am crazy… but when you wake up in the morning you look at the same news that I do."

Joseph released her shoulders and turned to his left as something else pulled his attention from her. Avery didn't realize she was holding a breath until his piercing gaze left hers.

"Do your eyes not fill with horror, Avery? When you see the murder and war and sins that fill the streets?" He began to walk away from her but the trepidation returned full force when her jade eyes landed on what held his attention.

The peaceful atmosphere that inhabited Faith's realm had dissipated into a new darkness that the deputy had never faced before. Off in the distance, a mushroom cloud of fire and ash billowed into the green sky. Joseph raised his hands to the heavens as if welcoming the explosion.

"This is the world?! This?! This is the world we built for our children?" Joseph turned towards Avery and all she could do was watch in horror as all her instincts told her to run but whatever power the Bliss had, kept her firmly in place. Her breathing became labored as her mind tried to process the sudden change in events.

 _This isn't real. It's just the Bliss._

But the gusts of wind carried the smell of smoke and soot; the bitterness of death tinted the air. Her body began to walk towards the Father without her consent, but she still tried to dig her heels into the ground.

"Communities being torn apart. Walls being erected because leaders are too important to act. Bullies are too addled to lead righteously." Joseph saw the deputy struggling to gain control of her body; noticed the sweat beading at her temples at the sight of the nuclear blast behind him.

 _Good_ , he thought to himself. _She does have fear._

Holding out his hand to her, he summoned her presence to be with him. He could see her struggle before it became too much and she was rushed to his side by the Bliss.

As she came to a stop, he placed his hands on her collar bones and drank in her fear driven eyes. It was different than the anger she had immersed in while they were last face-to-face in the helicopter and he enjoyed the change. Her vulnerability was just what he wanted to see.

"I did not ask for this," he explained in a husky voice just low enough for her to hear. "I was chosen."

Avery swallowed as he brought her to him in an embrace, followed by a blinding white light. Anxiety clawed at her and her inner voice screamed for release.

Moments later, the blinding light began to recede back to reveal a new location. Lush, green fields were now barren waste and set ablaze. Cars were distorted, twisted metal and buildings were now in ruin. The epidemy of hell.

"See, everything is coming to an end. You can feel that," Joseph rasped as his gaze had now turned dark as he regarded her. Avery was about to protest but he shook his head. "I know you can, Avery. Don't deny it. The wars-the death… The selfish leaders who drain our country into crime."

This was too much. She didn't know what to think. What she saw was something out of movies. Not what the world was supposed to become. Sure there was always a possibility but mankind wasn't that stupid. Or at least she hoped they weren't.

"We aren't going to destroy ourselves like this. Its suicide," she objected but it came out as a feeble excuse.

"Mankind is _weak_ and _vulnerable_ ," Joseph replied back sharply. Avery was slightly taken aback by his anger, never having been around his temper. His calm demeanor was enough to make her uncomfortable and fear his intentions. She wasn't wanting to be on the receiving end of his rage.

"We are hurdling towards our destruction and no one is willing to do anything about it!" He stepped away from her and held his arms out to display the world around them alight in flames. "I can see that! You can see that!... There are _no_ excuses for this devastation!"

Softening his voice a few decimals, he continued. "So what are we supposed to do? We just sit back and await the inevitable?"

The question hung in the air with only the cracking of fire and eerie billow of smoke echoed around them. The Father could see her shaking, eyes wide in fear as she watched him.

Avery desperately wanted to leave this new hell but she knew there was no escape until they were done with her.

 _This is just the Bliss. It seems real but its just the Bliss_. Avery forced herself to take a few deep breaths to control her fear. It was so hard to keep her mind straight when she was in this realm with limited control of her body and the Bliss miasma.

"Why?" she asked, pleased that her voice didn't betray her still racing thoughts. "Why are you showing me this?"

The Father looked at her but didn't answer right away. The carvings across his chest reflected off the fire from a nearby truck, the shadow dancing across his shoulder. For a moment, she thought that maybe he wasn't going to answer her. When he did finally speak again, he didn't carry anger nor sadness. There was an emptiness to his voice that took her off guard.

"I do not claim to be a perfect man but I saw what was coming and I chose to act. To lead. Because society is broken and the only way forward… is to go back to the way things once were."

He walked back to stand in front of her but this time Avery steeled herself for his presence.

"Innocent and pure…So safe and protected… in our Garden." Joseph raised a hand to push some of Avery's sweaty bangs away from her temple. His touch left a burning feeling across her skin but she couldn't look away from his sharp gaze.

The fear began to return to her belly and all she wanted was to wake up from this nightmare.

"I can save you, Avery. I can keep you from burning in this world." The Father kneeled down to a patch of white Bliss flowers that were left untouched by the flames. Plucking one delicately from the ground, he stood back up and handed it to her just as a blinding light left her in complete darkness once more.

"But you have to have faith."

* * *

Avery did not wake up, so to speak. She became more aware of what was going on around her. None of it made any sense to her but nevertheless her brain began interpreting everything is short bursts; none of it was clear but rather drifted around some mental distortion, half-developed. She could smell the faint musk of mildew and the cold draft around her.

Unconsciousness pulled at her like a black hole. A voice could be heard from her delusional state. A female voice.

Was it Faith? Was she here to drag her back to the Bliss?

 _I won't go again_ , she thought as she slipped back to darkness. _Not again._

Avery felt herself falling but could not see anything. Her feet felt as if they were tumbling over nothingness. Hands grabbed at her. She felt cold and warm all at once.

This world collided with another full of her memories. Running in a field away from the school bullies. Standing on a sand dune, watching the splotch of colors from the beautiful sunrise. Michael sitting next to her in the Humvee as they drove through a foreign city.

"Everyone around you dies," he said sadly.

Then another face with her on her back while the image of an Angel leaned over her. Avery struggled for her knife, felt her hands gripping it but the handle felt more like sand in her fingers.

"Rook! Rook! Open your eyes!"

The Angel grabbed her by the wrist and twisted the knife out of her hands. The deputy jerked back and forth as best as she could, trying to punch or choke the Angel but then the face changed to Whitehorse shaking her.

Darkness pulled at her again before another face filled her vision.

"C'mon give her the adrenaline!"

A female face leered over her and raised a sharp object over her head. All Avery's saturated mind could register was an Angel trying to stab her with her own knife. Gathering whatever strength she had left, the deputy reached up and grabbed the Angels' wrist, reversing the roles as she attempted to keep the sharp end away from her chest.

"C'mon. c'mon. Stop fighting! C'mon-just stop!" Whitehorse came into her view but she was in survival mode. Nothing they yelled made sense to her.

"Don't fucking move! I need you calm and still!" the Angel above her ordered. The face of the woman above her changed for a split second to Tracey but then it went back to an enraged Angel once again.

Whether Avery was going to listen or not wasn't up to her. Whitehorse pulled her arms towards him and left Avery vulnerable to the woman above her with the needle at the ready.

Before she could protest or break free, the tip came down into her chest, leaving a blinding light to stun her as she was forced to inhale a breath fit for a panicked, drowning person as the sudden rush of adrenaline flooded her chest.

"That's it… That's it, Rook. Good…." A calming voice broke through the sea of white.

The double vision cleared enough for her to see the familiar face of her boss. But whether it was reality or a dream was indistinguishable.

A new voice from deep within her subconscious spoke to her as she tried to regain her breath.

"If you turn your back to us, they are going to die, Avery. The world will burn in the Collapse and you won't be able to save them," Joseph stated from somewhere in the darkness. "The sinners will all perish. And you… will be alone."

And then like a meteor, she fell through the feverishness of her thoughts and illusions until slamming down into earth where there was nothing but herself and darkness. But at least the memories could not reach her there.

* * *

When Avery did wake up, she knew that it was reality. Her mind was instantly in high gear despite the throbbing headache that pulsed at her temple. The Bliss that had clouded her mind seemed like it had finally broken, now replaced with exhaustion and a migraine.

Blinking, she focused on the ceiling above her head. The water stained walls and blue fabric dividers was a welcoming sight as she recognized it as the medical bay in the Prison. But how long had she been out? How had she made it back here? Where was the Angel that tried to kill her? Was that just a bad dream?

Avery leaned up slightly and her hand went to her ankle, reaching for her knife but it was not in the sheath.

"Hey, Sheriff!" a voice hollered from the doorway.

Avery twisted towards the sound to see a familiar face but the name was forgotten momentarily. Soon another older man came running into the medical bay, smiling broadly at the deputy.

"Rook! Glad to see you awake," he greeted. Sheriff Whitehorse walked briskly to her side, flanked by Tracey and Virgil.

The brunette wanted to return the smile but the inkling feeling of vulnerability was something that hindered her thoughts. She didn't even know if this was all real or another trick. From the events and nightmarish trip down memory lane, it was safe to say she was shaken up pretty bad.

And where was her rifle? She wanted her rifle badly.

Whitehorse knelt down on Avery's right as Tracey went to the left of the bed. Virgil stayed back nervously as he fidgeted with a pen. Avery did not trust her mind to tell her the truth and she found her eyes wandering to Whitehorse's revolver strapped to his belt. She wondered if she could get it away from him if this all turned out to be a ruse.

Tracey pulled up a small stool next to the bed and shined a light in her eyes. She spoke clearly and deliberately. "Can you tell me your name?"

Avery stared at Tracey, still utterly confused.

Tracey and Whitehorse exchanged a warry glance.

"Avery Mason." Her voice had a rasp to her ears and she realized how thirsty she was.

The present company looked relieved.

"Do you know where you are right now?" Tracey asked as she lowered the light.

Avery became irritated. "I suppose I'm at the Prison. What the fuck happened? How am I here?"

The elder man rested a hand on Avery's shoulder and offered a calm smile. "Easy, Rook. We just needed to see if you came out of the Bliss alright or not."

The Bliss… of course that part was real. But the other bits… were they?

Michael was there with her. He spoke to her—

Avery felt herself choke on a sob at the memory and tears started to burn her eyes.

"Hey-Rook, what's wrong?" Sheriff asked suddenly concerned as he saw her mood shift to something darker.

Avery forced herself to swallow as she all but angrily shoved the memory away. Of course that wasn't real. Michael was dead. He couldn't be there…

Clenching her fist in the blanket until she felt nails digging deep in her palms, she returned her attention to the others. "I'm fine."

There was a tense pause before Tracey took the initiative to direct the conversation along. "What's the last thing you remember?"

The deputy had to think about this one. "… I was almost to Holland Valley. Then Faith intercepted my path and I was in the Bliss again…"

"Do you remember getting here?"

Avery blinked, trying to pull anything from her hallucinations. "Um…I don't…"

"Do you remember being in a car?"

She shifted on the cot, growing frustrated. "No I don't. Can one of you just tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"You're back in the prison," Virgil explained. "Back in Henbane."

"I know that." Avery bit out.

The Sheriff wasn't used to seeing his deputy with a short temper but he knew he needed to defuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"Good," Whitehorse explained as he forced a smile. "Your brain isn't as jangled as we thought. Although you did punch Virgil in the face when he was trying to get you in the fence line."

Green eyes looked to the middle aged man who offered a nervous smile.

"And you tried to stab Tracey," he added.

Tracey nodded looking half amused and half irate. "So we were a little concerned about your mental state, if you know what I mean."

Avery bounced between everyone in the room and shook her head. "I, err… I don't remember that. Sorry."

Tracey shrugged. "I'm just glad I got the knife from you before you bled me out. Besides, I'd say I got you back with the adrenaline needle."

After about ten minutes of trying to piece everything together, Avery was pleased to know that her companions had found her not far from the Prison walls. How she got there was a mystery as Avery couldn't even remember getting in a vehicle like she had the time before. Her time in the Bliss was estimated to be about 4 hours or so seeing as it was early afternoon now after her rest.

A part of her had a sinking feeling that she was deep in Henbane region again because that was what Faith and the Father wanted. Were they trying to prevent her from leaving the region? Regardless, the next move was hers and she already knew she was leaving to Holland Valley as soon as she was rested.

Luckily they all agreed for her to at least get some rest before leaving for the trip out of there. Though the answers were not all recovered from the broken night, they at least were content with knowing that Avery was safe and, more importantly, sane.

The details as to what happened during her Bliss trip she kept to herself. When asked, she mentioned Faith and the circle of followers but when it came to the Father and his vision of the collapse, she couldn't bring herself to repeat it.

She knew if she really needed to talk to someone, Tracey would be the best one to talk to. The younger woman had once followed the Father and the Project for a while, whole-heartedly believing that there was to be a collapse. But everything was still too fresh and real to Avery. Her emotions were high and she desperately needed to gain control of her frazzled mind.

Instead of discussing anything else, she looked around with a slight frown. "I need some food and I would really like my weapons."

Whitehorse eyed her, his jaw muscles bunching. He seemed puzzled at her request as he pondered. Avery had been exposed to a high dosage of Bliss and for a long time. Part of him felt like she should be acting out more, feeling violated and confused. Perhaps that would come later. The human brain did not like to be shocked and it would only allow you to process it in small increments. He just hoped it wouldn't happen all at once to where she would use those weapons to protect herself against them.

But Avery wasn't like most people here either. She had been exposed to many life altering events in the military. It was something the mind had to adapt to or break. From what he could tell, it seemed like she had learned to adapt to shock. Or so he hoped, that is.

Finally deciding what was best, he nodded. "Yeah I'll get them."

"I-I'll go with you," Virgil offered as they both left the room.

Tracey watched as they disappeared through the door, leaving them to their thoughts. Not wanting to not dwell in awkward silence, she decided to be somewhat productive and talk to the quiet brunette in front of her.

"You're a fucking wreck, Deputy," Tracey said as she stood to check the I.V. fluids hanging on the rack next to her bed.

Looking down at her left arm, Avery was surprised she hadn't noticed the catheter until that moment.

"Well," she shrugged. "I can't say I enjoy it."

Sitting back in the chair, Tracey observed her closely. Avery said nothing, knowing if she was going to ask a question, there was no stopping it. The look she was receiving was calculating, like Tracey was debating on bringing something up or not. Normally Avery would feel slightly nervous as to what would come but she was too exhausted to care at this point. Luckily for her, she didn't have to wait long for Tracey to decide on what she wanted to ask.

"Did you see him?"

Jade eyes looked to her companion. She knew who she was referring to but refused to openly acknowledge it. "See who?"

"The Father? Joseph Seed," she stated bluntly.

Avery folded her hands in her lap while she debated on telling the truth or not. She really wasn't ready on reliving the scenario so soon. "Yes."

Tracey faltered but only for a split second. Almost unnoticeable. "Well, I won't lecture you about how dangerous he is but I want you to know that he doesn't show up in Faith's Bliss visions often. If he made an appearance, its serious. Just… be _extremely_ cautious moving forward."

Avery thought for a moment, feeling relieved that Tracey wasn't pressing for more details or answers. "Thank you. I will be as careful as I can be."

"I know it's hard for you," she snorted.

The deputy's face fell into a disgruntled frown. "Why is it that everyone thinks I enjoy getting into trouble?"

"Because you make a habit of it. The thing that makes you different then other people is that you can easily get out of trouble just to get back into it," she laughed.

At this, she couldn't help but to chuckle. "I suppose there is some truth to that… Hey… Do you think… Can you keep the Joseph info between you and me? I really don't want to relive the details of it if people start asking questions."

Tracey's expression softened at the request and she offered a soft smile. She understood better than anyone that somethings were best left in the dark. A part of her was disturbed to see the feisty deputy to be turned into a quiet girl over one night. Undoubtably everything was still fresh in her mind and she was sure Avery would be back to her normal self in no time… But… the change was still unsettling. The broken request to keep the truth of Joseph's presence hit a nerve in Tracey, and there was an understanding as to what the deputy was feeling. "Yeah. It stays between us."

Whitehorse and Virgil appeared moments later with Avery's M4 rifle and knife along with a bottle of water and some oatmeal. Avery slid the knife into her boot sheath and checked the chamber of her rifle before laying it on the ground. Whitehorse handed her the food and water which she happily took.

"Eat up. Get some sleep. We will wake you later so you can head out to Holland Valley. Faith won't be expecting you to be leaving so soon after getting back here so the sooner, the better."

Avery couldn't help but agree. She was more than ready to leave Henbane behind at this point.

 **A/N**

 **So I know I keep dragging out that she is attached to Boomer. Yes she was a K9 handler and there is definitely more to the story there as I'm sure you figured. Same as Michael and her past. Soon there will be a bit more revealed.**

 **Next time we will see a bit more of Jacob but nothing will happen between them until a couple more chappys. Good news, I'm already working on the next chapter now so it should be up soon.**

 **Let me know what you think so far!**


End file.
